Gunners Coin
by aimee.2127
Summary: Azula hatches a plan that leaves Katara as an unwilling member of the Gunners Fold which is an organisation of assassins in the Fire Nation. There is no avatar. She never met Aang or Iroh or Zuko. And Sokka is the only family she has left. Zutara Rated T for a generally huge death theme and dark feeling.
1. Prologue

Prologue

'I have a job for you. This woman will ruin my future, so I want you to ruin hers.' The cultured, cold voice that belonged to none other than Princess Azula herself rang out through the room and Mai's eyes widened slightly in surprised.

'Of course Princess Azula, whatever you wish. The Gunner's Fold will be happy to accommodate your wishes.'

'Ugh. Must you use that term? It's so vulgar. Gunner. Such an outdated slang term.'

'Please forgive me Princess Azula, I have associated myself with commoners for far too long. The Assassins Fold will carry out your instructions to the letter.'

Azula's lip curled. 'I want you to capture the waterbender. Her name is Katara.'

'Capture, Princess? The Fold does not normally take prisoners.'

'Then drive her insane.' She murmured with a cold disposition.

'That, we can do.'


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I don't own avatar the last airbender or any of its characters. I doubt any 14 year olds do.**

**Forgot to put that on the prologue, so yeah. Enjoy :)**

Chapter One

Sokka sat staring out the window at the rain that tapped persistently against it. Katara still hadn't arrived and it had been a week now. He sighed and closed his cobalt eyes, falling asleep on the table.

oOo

Mai's eyes flashed in the darkness and she lifted the latch on the window that separated her from Katara's brother. The boys face was squashed into the table and a puddle of drool had formed beneath him, he muttered something about boomerangs and frowned in his sleep. Mai smirked, by the looks of it this boy would be easy to fool. She slipped his boomerang from its sheath and stabbed a piece of yellowed parchment into the table next to his face.

Mai disappeared out the window and watched as the rising sun made Sokka stir in discomfort. His eyes fluttered open and he jumped back at the sight of the boomerang embedded in the table. The chair collapsed beneath him and he landed on the floor, winded.

She bit back laughter at the sight of him and smiled when his eyes widened in shock at the message she left.

_We have your sister. If you want to see her again alive you will follow these instructions carefully._

Sokka's head stuck out the window and he looked around, not noticing Mai who stood in the shadows.

'Katara.' His broken hearted whisper was followed by a tear slowly tracking down his cheek.

oOo

The bar was dark and crowded with large men who stared at Sokka like he was an animal ready to be attacked and eaten. He walked to the bar and sat the last stool. The woman next him turned and he held his breath.

'I see you decided to save your sister.'

He nodded. The letter had instructed him to stay completely silent.

'Well then, come with me.' She stood up and her willowy figure loomed over him, threatening, though Sokka had the feeling that it was unintentional.

She led him out the bar through the back exit and they walked through the labyrinth of the streets that spanned out across the fire nation. It was silent but for the sound of their footsteps and Sokka felt the need to talk or at least make some kind of noise. 'So, err,' His voice cut through the silence and he winced as Mai's head snapped up. 'What do I call you?'

She glared at him. 'You were told not to talk, don't make the mistake again.' She looked down. 'And you can call me Dão.' She added as an afterthought.

'Dão? As in Knife? That can't be your real name.'

'I told you not to talk!' She hissed at him and Sokka looked to the sky.

'Tui give me strength!'

Preoccupied as he was, with looking at the moon, Sokka didn't notice the litter that covered the ground and he fell with a crash. Mai whirled around to face him and rolled her eyes in annoyance when she saw what had happened.

Sokka had some type of drink covering his feet and sandals and fire flakes in his hair. Mai dragged him to his feet and carried on walking.

_Smack! Smack!_

The sticky leather sandals slapped the paving with every step Sokka took and Mai's eyes narrowed a little more with each step he took. She forced herself to breathe slowly and continue without punching her captive.

'Where's Katara?' Sokka suddenly remembered why he was with her and his voice was no longer a whiny squeak, it became commanding and Mai had to look at him to make sure it was his mouth that those words came out of.

'I'm taking you to where she'll be. Don't worry.'

'You mean that she's not there yet?'

'Not yet.' Her voice signalled that she wouldn't take any more words leaving his lips. Sokka scowled and bumped into her when she stopped abruptly.

She lifted a grate from the ground and shoved him in the hole, jumping in acrobatically and landing lightly on her feet over Sokka who lay confused on the floor. His wolf tail had come out of its binding and his dark hair lay around him like a halo.

'Where are we?' Sokka's voice was riddled with fear as he looked around what appeared to be an underground _office_. Mai glared at him and he sat up. 'Hey Dão your little note said I shouldn't talk on the journey. It never mentioned the destination.'

Mai sighed at the thought of having to endure him talking for the next few hours. She grabbed a chair and he sat in it obediently, the threat of Katara's wellbeing hanging over his head like a cloud. She secured him quickly with strong ropes and used the wraps over his wrists to gag him.

Sokka's cobalt eyes betrayed enough emotion that he didn't have to speak to communicate. They glazed over as he thought about Katara, and Mai didn't miss it.

'I'm going to get your sister now.' She laughed and climbed back out the grate, replacing it behind her.

oOo

Her plan was simple and she smiled at the beauty of it. Once she had located Katara she knew that it would be nigh on impossible to capture her, so instead, she took Sokka first. Mai knew he would believe her without proof of Katara being missing. But Katara would come quietly as long as she had something of Sokka's.

And there she was, standing not more than eight feet from Mai, wandering down the street, finally on her way to meet her brother. The streets were teeming with life and the midday sun beat down on her as she tried to keep up whilst looking like she _wasn't_ stalking the girl before her.

It was really quite hard.

Katara stuck out like a sore thumb in her blue water tribe clothing that was covered in a sea of red and gold and black. She glanced about her every few minutes, knowing that someone was following her. She reached a fork in the street and turned off into the side road that was empty but for one homeless man who was unconscious in the shadows.

Katara pulled the wine from the bottle the man was holding and pressed herself to the wall of the alley, knowing her stalker would turn the corner at any moment.

oOo

Mai cursed. She had lost Katara, somewhere the girl had turned the corner and Mai had missed her doing so. She shrugged to herself and made her way back to Sokka's room at the inn to wait for the water tribe girl to appear.

oOo

She tugged at the furniture and the table fell over with a satisfying thump. Despite Mai's skill with any number of weapons and her average skill with acrobatics, she didn't really have much brute strength which would have come in useful right about then. She carried on making a mess that could have been mistaken for a fight and then sat on the roof and waited for Katara to appear.

It took longer than she expected.

oOo

Katara waited in the shadows of the alley for several minutes, surprised her stalker hadn't appeared yet. After ten minutes she tired and bent the borrowed wine back into the bottle. After twenty minutes Katara finally decided to move, and she took a long convoluted route through the city before finally ending up at the inn that she and Sokka had arranged to meet at.

By this time it was dark and the stars had begun to twinkle in the sky. Mai stirred on the roof, her boredom edging away to be replaced by anticipation. The waterbender had walked into the building just a moment ago and Mai was ready to hear her screams.

And Katara _did_ scream. She walked into the room and slipped on a vase that had 'fallen'. The floor went out from under her and Mai slunk into the room to make her grand appearance. The smirk that Mai had on her face was quickly wiped away and replaced by a look of extreme surprise.

The water tribe girl, Katara was unconscious on the floor and certainly didn't see Mai's grand entrance. She scowled and dropped a large amount of water on Katara's face.

Katara blinked and a dark face swam into her vision. It looked mildly annoyed.

'Oh good, you're alive.' The voice matched the face, dark and bored. 'I know you're in no condition to move right now. Probably. So just listen, I have your brother and unless you come with me, you'll never see him again.'

Katara spat, she'd hit her head and had been left with a dizzying concussion that made her world spin. 'How do I know you really have Sokka?'

Mai smiled, she'd been hoping that Katara would ask that. She waved a blue necklace before Katara's eyes, which widened first in surprise and then in fear. It was the necklace Sokka was going to give to his girlfriend Suki. It had taken him months to carve it.

'I see you recognise this necklace then. I took it from your brothers' pocket after I tied him up.'

'Take me to see him.'

Mai frowned. 'You're in no position to bargain with me.'

Katara was still on the floor and unable to move, she knew if she sat up she would vomit. But that didn't stop her from flicking some water from the vase of flowers into Mai's face. 'I wasn't bargaining.'

Mai pulled out one of her shuriken daggers. 'Well you should have been.'

The dagger twirled between her fingers and Katara's eyes fixated on the blade.

'Now are we going to see your brother?'

Katara nodded meekly.

'And are you going to be quiet while we do so?'

Another nod.

'Alright then.' Mai stood up and pulled Katara up with her. The world spun again and Katara stumbled.

'I can see this is going to be a fun journey.' Mai drawled as Katara collapsed in her arms, her stability gone.

oOo

They finally reached the office, by sunrise. It took the entire night because Katara lost consciousness several times and Mai couldn't carry her very far. They also had to travel at snail's pace, which annoyed Mai to no end, so that Katara wouldn't vomit. Which she did. Twice.

Of course when they got into the office Katara fell asleep where she landed. Sokka's hair was still out of its wolf tail and he had fallen asleep, despite the stress he should have been under. Mai stared in amazement. He still managed to drool and there was a small puddle on the floor that was growing rather rapidly. She slid the necklace back into his pocket and sat down, ready for the mind games.

oOo

Katara woke with a pounding headache but she felt better than the day before. Her brother was staring directly at her, still tied to the chair. She rushed over and tore at the rope with her fingers, not bothering to try and untie it. Her fingers came back bloody and Sokka turned to face her, free.

'Are you ok?'

'Why wouldn't I be? You're the one who was captured Sokka.'

'What? No, Mai told me she had you.'

'Oh no.' Katara breathed deeply. 'She tricked us. She didn't have me Sokka. She caught you and used you to catch me.'

Sokka's tan face turned red with embarrassment and he looked at the ground. 'I'm so sorry I put us in danger Katara.'

'It's ok. We'll get out of this, just wait and see.'

Mai stepped in and pointed to Katara. Two men dressed in black walked in, with an almost casual demeanour and grabbed one of Katara's arms each. She screamed and Sokka grabbed at the men, trying to pull them off of her. The larger one punched him in the throat and Sokka fell with a cry.

'SOKKA!'

'Leave now or he gets hurt in ways that'll do much more than bruise.' Mai stared at Katara as she made eye contact, unblinking. Katara looked long enough to see that Mai was serious and then her body went slack in submission.

'Ok. Ok.' She whispered and then men carried her out of the room, through a labyrinth of what should have been sewer systems.

'Where are we?' Katara breathed in wonder, though she hated to admit it, she was impressed.

'You're inside the Gunners Fold.'

Katara was shocked into silence. The Gunners Fold was a group of assassins that worked in the Fire Nation. _Nobody _crossed them if they wanted to live. All the commoners knew that the Gunners only killed on commission unless people got in their way. And most Gunners _love _to kill, so it was any excuse to do so.

'Where are we going?'

'My, my, you're full of questions today.' Mai sighed, uninterested in every aspect. 'If you must know, we're going to the main hall. You're going to The Gunners Lead. Of course you probably don't know who they are. They're the leaders of The Gunners Fold.'

'It's pretty self-explanatory.' Katara muttered.

'What? No fear?' Mai's voice dripped with sarcasm so Katara decided to do the same.

'Oh no. Inside I'm a petrified little baby. Really.'

oOo

The journey was short, although unsurprisingly Mai still found herself bored. They reached the grand doors that signalled the main hall and Katara was surprised to see a symbol for each nation carved into it.

The guards stepped away from Katara and pushed open the doors with an almighty shove that left them banging against the walls. Mai all but waltzed in there to show the Gunners Lead her prize.

'Dão why have you called us here?' The first Lead spoke, his voice was deep and solemn.

'You know my commissioner. Well here's my plan: I want lovely little Katara to join us.'

'WHAT? NO! I'LL NEVER DO IT!' Katara's screams made Mai smile a little.

'You will. If your brother's in danger. And,' she paused dramatically, 'he is.'

'I can't kill anyone. Not ever.' She whispered, even though she knew she would. For Sokka. He was the only family Katara had left, the only person she had to remind her of home.

'Your commissioner is someone of importance Mai so we will follow this through. But do not come to us with such an unruly plan again. She is your responsibility.' The first Lead spoke again. Then he turned to Katara. 'Congratulations.'

**Just a quick note :)**

**Sokka says 'Tui give me strength' because there is no avatar and no war Yue doesn't become the moon spirit and Tui doesn't die. The characters don't know each other except Katara and Sokka (obviously) because they're siblings.**

**I still put Sokka with Suki though because I just love them together and because there was no war they could have met on their travels anyways so yeah.**

**Also just a reminder that Sokka isn't as mature as he is by the end of avatar because he hasn't faced everything he had in the original story line. He will develop through the story though so.. yeah :)**

**Thanks to moonwilow for my first review! :D**


	3. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Avatar. If I did the movie would have been better.**

Chapter Two

Tears sped down Katara's cheeks as she hugged Sokka, they were both unwilling to let go. A damp patch had formed on his shirt and her face stuck to it while the tears dried. A hand on her shoulder told her it was time to go and she clung tightly to Sokka with terror at the thought of having to leave him. Her fingers tore at his clothes and her nails dug into his skin making Sokka wince from the pain she was causing.

'Katara, please. Calm down Katara, you don't have to do this. I'll forgive you if you refuse to do this, hell I'll never be angry with you at all. I know I'll be hurt if you don't but maybe, maybe you shouldn't anyway.'

Katara peeled her face from his shirt and looked up at him. 'What?'

'I know you can't do this Katara, it's your only weakness. Compassion. You can't hurt a fly, so just leave and do it now.'

The tears had long since stopped and were drying on her face. 'No Sokka. If I don't join the Gunners Fold then I'll hurt you. Either way I lose, but if I join, at least the other person who loses is someone I don't know.' Her voice became choked and she felt the threat of tears. 'At least it isn't the only person I love.'

Sokka pulled her back towards him in a tighter hug. 'Ok, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.'

The hand on Katara's shoulder pulled at her more insistently and Katara screamed as her fingers ripped through Sokka's shirt and skin, leaving a bloody tear in the blue material.

'It'll be alright Katara.' He called after her as she was dragged away from him by a struggling bodyguard.

oOo

Mai's eyes flashed in annoyance. 'Get out peasant, you have everything you came with and you've served your purpose.'

'_Not. Without. My. Sister.' _

'Out. NOW.' Mai grabbed Sokka by his neck and pulled him to the grate. He climbed out reluctantly, conscious of the knife that had appeared in Mai's hand.

'I bet you're better than this Dão.' He glanced down at her and then ran away into the night.

oOo

Katara was back in the large main hall, which was empty and dead despite the magnitude of assassins that stood around her. She snorted at the thought. _Here are so many, cloaked like the grim reaper and just as dead as him. _Katara was covered too, a black cloak that covered the length of her body and a long hood that cast shadows on her terrified face.

The Gunners Lead had decided to call her 'One' until she completed a challenge that could give her a code name.

The First Lead stood up and the silence in the room became more absolute. Katara felt like she was drowning in it and she resisted the urge to scream.

'We are all here to mark the addition of our unnamed 'one' to the Gunners Fold. One shall be set an assassination before receiving her mark name.'

He stepped back and the last Gunner Lead, the third one, stepped forward. 'Let us begin.' His voice was raspy and a mere whisper, evidence of its disuse. It sounded like he had cobwebs woven in his throat that stirred with his breath which came out in short shuddering gasps.

The figures around her stepped closer and Katara felt panic rising in her throat. A flash of silver appeared in every hand as they brandished their namesakes and then a battle begun between each assassin as they strove to reach her first. One grabbed her wrist with a strong iron-like grip that made Katara shudder but she kicked him hard and ran. The assassins continued to fight towards the centre of the room, because in the chaos they hadn't noticed that Katara was quietly sitting in a corner, trying to be inconspicuous. She stared as they employed every underhand and dirty trick they knew and shuddered at the thought of being in the middle of all those weapons.

After what felt like hours, because battles and war always age you greatly, Katara's eyes began to droop. Her eyes closed and she gave up on survival for just a moment.

oOo

Jian broke from the group of fighters sheathing his dagger and looked for another way to get to the girl 'One'. He moved to the corner of the room, intending to run at the fray and somersault his way over most of it, when he noticed her. Somehow she had escaped and no one had noticed, it made him smile and _that_ was a rare event. He snuck over and pressed a dagger to her throat, surprised when she did not respond. He even stepped back a little.

A tiny snore escaped Katara and Jian's half smile slid into a full on grin for just a second. _She's crazy!_ He shoved her shoulder so that she woke up and put his dagger back to her throat.

'Hello One, have a nice nap?'

Katara's eyes widened, how could she have been so stupid? 'Peachy.' Her voice didn't betray her and a smile graced her lips in pride.

'We're going to stand up nice and slow and step into the light so that the Lead can stop this fighting. Don't move too quickly, you might scar your pretty neck.'

Katara did as she was told and the First Lead stood up. 'The fight is over.' His aged voice carried across the room and the fighting ceased. 'Jian will be the one to taste her blood.'

Katara started at that and Jian leaned forward to whisper in her ear. 'Don't worry, it's not literal. I won't be drinking anything other than wine tonight.' His voice was a taunting sexy mess that he had perfected through the years that was practically famous for making women faint, so you can imagine his surprise when she snorted in amusement.

'I bet you've practised that in front of the mirror.' She muttered.

They moved slowly to the front of the room, where some form of altar stood. It was just a table, with strands of ribbon strewn across it. Jian's dagger moved from her neck and she sighed, touching where the blade had been. A small bead of blood came off on her fingers and she hissed. The bastard had actually cut her!

She cast a glance at his face and saw that he had left his cloak up, but she glimpsed a flash of pearly white teeth.

The knife still hadn't left Jian's hand and she eyed it suspiciously. He grabbed her palm and slid the blade across it, drawing blood which coated her hand like a glove and dripped from her fingers. He grabbed a ribbon from the table, and, dropped it. He tugged the necklace from her neck instead and used that ribbon, which he soaked in her blood.

The necklace was her mothers and she stared at the blue ribbon that was slowly turning black and felt tears roll down her cheeks. He pricked his own finger with the dagger and let a drop of blood fall into her palm.

'One do you swear on pain of your life, your brother's life and the lives of all you hold dear, that you will uphold our rules and work to the best of your ability in the Gunners Fold?'

'I,' Katara stopped, she was about to say 'I do' but that was a sacred right for weddings, it shouldn't be used for this. She shook her head and looked back to Jian. 'Yes.'

'Do you swear that you will keep our secrets safe even when facing death?'

'Yes.'

'Do you recognise that without returning to the Fold every two months you will die from a death inflicted by the original gunners?'

'I recognise.'

'Then welcome to the gunners fold.' With that Jian tore off the sleeve from his cloak and bound Katara's hand. She stood there, unmoving for as long as she could manage. She didn't want to function, she didn't want to live. But Jian grabbed his good arm and tugged her away.

'So if you didn't understand in there, the one that catches you and draws the blood is the one that mentors you in a way. Of course, you have Mai too. That's why everyone wants you, because we all have to mentor someone at some point in our 'careers' but if anything goes wrong, the blame is not the mentors like usual. It'll be Mai's.'

Katara nodded every so often throughout his little explanation, not really listening or caring about anything he had said.

'So I'm not going to be calling you 'one', it just won't do. We need a new name for you, something temporary of course, until you get your Gunners name.'

Katara only caught part of what he said but she heard the words 'new name' and stopped walking.

'I already have a name.'

'Yes but you can't use it.'

'Why not?'

'It has to be the name of your weapon.'

'My name _is_ a weapon.'

'Huh. Cool.' His voice brightened and he carried on walking.

oOo

'So this is my office. You'll get one next to me so we can talk strategy and stuff.'

'You're pretty odd for a Gunner.' Katara muttered.

Jian cocked his head to one side. 'How?'

'You never shut up.'

'Yeah well you're pretty broken for a pretty girl.'

'I wonder why.' Was all Katara said as she pulled up her hood, resenting his comment on how she looked.

He sighed inaudibly and sat down with his feet propped up on the desk, picking his teeth with the long skinny dagger that had cut Katara less than an hour ago.

'So I guess you're wondering what was up with the ribbon shit in the hall?'

Katara didn't respond but Jian swore he could see her ears perk up slightly in interest.

'When you officially become a member you get a charm that signifies your weapon and your talent in the Fold. The ribbon we dip your blood in is the one that holds it. It's very spiritual.' He yawned and turned to face her. 'Wanna see mine?'

Katara waited, expecting it to be waved in her face but Jian refused to show her without some acknowledgment. She groaned inside at the thought of having to respond to anything, it was like giving him ammunition against her. She nodded and looked towards him.

He pulled his cloak across and his shirt down slightly to show a golden ribbon tied around his neck. It reached far down his chest and he pulled it out. The charm was a circular shape and green, jade Katara thought. The symbol carved into it was a slim dagger with a miniscule ruby in the hilt. She gasped at the sight of it, it was beautiful and the detail was astounding.

'Why is it green?'

'Because I'm of the Earth Kingdom. Most people here have red stones – ruby or garnet. There are no Air Nomads here because they believe in life being sacred but there are a few other Earth people here too. What colour stone will you have One?'

'Blue.'

One eyebrow rose. 'You're a Water Tribe girl?' Deciding not to wait for an answer he carried on. 'What are you doing so far away from home?'

Katara choked back a laugh. 'Seeing the world. Although I guess I won't be doing much of that now.'

He put the ribbon back into his shirt and pulled it back up.

'Where do you sleep?' Curiosity left her in the weirdest question she had thought of and Jian almost smiled at that.

He pulled off his cloak and Katara was mesmerised by what she saw there. His skin was tan and his hair dark. Jian's green Earth Kingdom eyes watched hers as she stared at him and his cheekbones; they were two slashes in his face that made him look dangerous in a way Katara could not fathom.

'I sleep in an inn normally; I don't like staying here very much. But I guess since you won't be allowed to leave until you're initiated, I'll be staying here too.' He gestured to a door in the corner that she hadn't noticed. 'Are you going to take that cloak off or what?'

She shook her head, not wanting to drop her last, flimsy defence.

'I'll show you into your office after you've taken it off, then you can be as alone as you want.'

Katara sighed in submission and bowed her head as she removed the cloak. Jian smiled at seeing her face fully and then took her out the way they had entered his office, and pushed open the door right opposite his.  
She groaned at the thought of being so close to the chatty, annoying Gunner who could easily kill her in her sleep and turned around to tell him to leave. He was already gone. She collapsed in the nearest chair and shut down.

oOo

The Gunners Lead sat together in a meeting room, the Third Lead drinking tea rather daintily. The First Lead had the least power and The Second (the only woman) frowned because he always took control of the meetings.

'Because One has not joined us willingly we need to give her someone to kill that will be simple and give her a taste for it.' That was the First Lead.

'Should we not find someone who she may actually _want_ to kill?' She asked.

'Why would we do that?'

The Second Lead sighed as if it were obvious. 'Incentive, First, incentive.'

'She has enough incentive; we will harm her brother if she does not comply.'

The Third placed his teacup on the table. He rarely spoke unless he found it necessary so The First and Second of the Gunners Lead were surprised he had intervened so quickly. 'We will use someone she is familiar with, someone she hates and who she believes does not deserve to live.'

With that final ruling The First Gunner stood up and left, going to find someone who deserved to die, and a commissioner who agreed.

There was a strict rule in the Gunners Fold: No killing without a commission, unless someone has gotten in your way.

oOo

Two days had passed and One still hadn't emerged from her room. Jian was beginning to feel a little worried that she had committed suicide or something. He didn't want to let himself in though, she already looked at him like he was about to whip out a knife and stab her. But he had to go in, The First Lead had given him a file on her commission, it never normally took more than an hour to find someone, so they must have had something special planned for her.

He opened the door and was greeted with a litter of trays filled with untouched food that she had obviously been ignoring. Jian, master spy/gunner as he was would have killed himself out of embarrassment if any of the other Gunners had seen him moving clumsily through the room, and finally tripping on a tray of komodo chicken stew. He cursed as it soaked through his socks, don't think him weird, he didn't wear shoes because they made noise and he liked to sneak up on someone and have done with it, and soon just socks became a habit.

Having reached the other end of the room he opened the door that led to the bedroom and saw a lump beneath the quilt. He lifted it, intending to wake her up gently and tell her about her commission, but instead he yelled.

She was gone, a pillow left in her place.

He cursed, once she had taken the vow and they had let her brother go there was no reason for her to stay, and without her pendant there was no reason for her to return either.

**Note: Mai is called Dão by the Gunners Fold because it means knife in Chinese and I was feeling very un-creative at the time :/**

**Jian is as in Duăn Jiàn which just means dagger. My creativity is very lazy today.**

**Jian is a lot nicer than all the other gunners by the way, you'll find out why later but just don't expect that everyone else is like that.**

**Another note 'without her pendant there was no reason for her to return either' I'll get to what that means. :)**

**I **_**need **_**reviews! Please be nice and write to me!**

**Btw Katara is the name of a type of dagger – just clearing that up there :)**


	4. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar – do you think that I would be on fanfic if I did?**

Chapter Three

Katara ran about the city looking for something she recognised. She had ran off with the intention of returning in ten minutes, she just needed some air, but as it turned out, the Gods had something else planned for her. She was lost, so immeasurably lost that she hadn't seen anything that sparked recognition for at least an hour. She rounded a corner and came face to face with Toph, a little girl Katara had met when travelling with Sokka.

'TOPH! You have no idea how glad I am to see you!' She hugged her fiercely and the blind girl reeled at her over-affectionate touch.

'Personal space!'

Katara nodded and stepped back. 'Do you know where we are?'

'Don't you?' Toph scoffed and pointed to a tea shop across the street. _The Jasmine Dragon. _'And I thought _I_ was the blind one.'

'I gotta go Toph, thank you! I'll see you soon.' Toph smiled and carried on walking. Katara ran through the streets until she found the inn she and Sokka had arranged to meet at before Mai had kidnapped both of them. She climbed in through the window, time was of the essence and she could not afford to make small-talk with the inn keeper.

'KATARA!' A shadow crashed into her and they collapsed on the floor in a hug. 'How'd you get away?' Sokka's voice was so familiar that she almost broke down crying from the comfort it gave her.

'I just left. They don't know I'm gone yet, I'll have to go back soon.'

'What? NO!'

'Yes Sokka, you're still in danger, Suki, your fiancé, is still in danger. Everyone I know is. I just I needed to see you.'

Jian clambered through the window and looked about. The room appeared empty, until a hand grabbed his foot and pulled it out from under him. Sokka still had Katara in his death grip hug when Jian had climbed through the window and stood right next to the siblings who lay on the floor.

Jian landed with a crash and Sokka's boomerang was quickly held to his neck.

'Who are you?' His voice was threatening and angry.

'I just came to get her, she shouldn't be out here. If the Gunners Lead hears about this we'll all be in trouble.' Jian was whispering, trying not to move the boomerang too much as it bumped across his Adam's Apple.

Katara stood on the sidelines, wondering what to do. She didn't want to go back but Jian had done nothing wrong to her and she would have to return eventually anyway. 'Sokka. Sokka let go.'

'What?' Sokka asked, he had barely listened to her, instead concentrating on the fear in the Gunners eyes.

'Let go, release, free, liberate, er' Katara stopped, out of ways to tell Sokka what to do. 'move your boomerang?' She finished.

'WHAT!' Sokka was surprised and _angry _enough to drop the boomerang and whirl to face her. '_He _is going to make your life misery! _He_ doesn't deserve to live.' With every 'he' Sokka jabbed a finger at Jian, who made to move until Katara shot him a warning glare.

She launched herself at Sokka in a final desperate hug and kissed his cheek, the way water tribe citizens did before saying a final goodbye. He froze as he realized the meaning and a tear rolled down his face, landing on the floor with a soft _'pat!'_ that was lost with the sound of the rain outside. He kissed her cheek too and the second he did she broke the hug, cast him a final glance, and jumped out the window. Jian followed after her.

oOo

'Don't you wanna know how I found you?'

'Don't you wanna know if I'm going to tell everyone if the Gunner's Fold how you were bested by my brother? An inexperienced teenage boy with a boomerang.'

Her tone made him wince and he saw that chit chat was not on the tables.

'You shouldn't have run off like that, if I had gone for the Gunners Lead instead of looking for you then your brother would dead right now.' Katara's fist flew in at him and he didn't block her, paralysed by shock. It slammed into his face with a sickening thump and he knew she'd drawn blood.

'Don't you _dare _ever blame murder on me. No matter who it is, it will _never _be my fault and I will _never _kill my own brother.' She spat at him and the journey continued in relative silence.

The rain pounded on his face and mixed with his blood. It was only a little cut but he refuse to wipe it away, stubbornness was something that they had in common. When they reached the Gunners Fold again Katara almost ran to her office before he caught her wrist. 'I came looking for you for a reason Katara.' She started at hearing her name come out of his mouth, he must have been with her and Sokka the whole time if had heard that. 'The Gunners Lead have found your first kill.'

Jian led her to his desk and they sat on opposite sides. He slid the file towards her. 'His name's Yon Rha. He was the leader of-'

'The Southern Raiders.' She whispered.

'Yeah.' He said brightly, thinking she was reading it from the open file.

'He's recently retired and lives in one of the Earth Kingdom colonies. Do you want to plan your attack or- Katara!'

She had dropped the file and ran away, into her own office. She fell asleep in the bathroom, the only room with a lock, crying and shaking.

oOo

Katara emerged from the bathroom after a week, starving and malnourished. A servant appeared at the door with her food, she could hear his footsteps down the corridor. She knew Jian had heard him too because he had walked out of his office/rooms and asked for the tray.

The door to her rooms opened and Jian entered with a tray full of steamed rice and vegetables, he set them down in front of her and sat with her looking expectantly, waiting for her to start eating again. The moment a piece of carrot passed her lips Jian looked at her to talk.

'So, what was that all about?'

'What was what all about?'

'You disappeared for a week Katara! This is second time you've hidden in your office now!' He froze and glanced at her. 'You didn't visit your brother again did you?'

'No.' She sighed. 'I wish I could have.'

'So why did you run off?'

'That's private, and I'm not about to give away my life to a member of the Gunner's Fold.'

Jian sighed. 'Well fine, but you have to do it soon because they want you to go on recon tomorrow and kill him next week.'

She choked back a laugh. 'You make it sound so simple.'

'That's because, after your first kill, it is.'

oOo

'I can't do this. I won't kill him, I just won't.' Katara shook her head adamantly and she felt tears spring to her eyes.

'You have no choice One, it's not in your control because if you don't we will kill your brother and his fiancé, Suki is it?' Mai's voice was cold and angry and Katara gasped at the sound of her naming her future sister in law.

'What if I fail?'

'For your brother sake, you'd better not.'

oOo

Jian led the way to a little boat in a port. She smiled at the sight of the oars. 'How quaint.'

They climbed aboard and Jian began to row furiously. She raised a hand in a sign to stop and then turned around so she was looking towards the land. Katara dipped her index finger into the water behind the boat and twirled it slowly. It had the effect of a mini whirlpool which made the boat speed down the sea at breakneck speed and Jian couldn't help but show his surprise.

'You're a waterbender.' He breathed, Katara simply nodded.

They were on their way to the island in the colonies where Yon Rha lived. Jian was sent with her to observe and intervene if she got into trouble, but also to help out where he could. So far, he had been useless.

Katara looked to him as he pulled a thick golden coin out of his pocket. It was completely smooth on one side with a raised rim, and on the other there was a small indentation in the shape of an 'X'.

'This is the coin that you dip in the blood of your victim to prove that he or she is dead. When you get a name, you also get a symbol and then all of your coins hold that symbol. It's going to be your killers mark.' He flipped the coin towards her and it landed it her palm. Katara looked down at it in disgust at the thought of what it represented and closed her fingers over it. 'It's called a Gunners Coin.'

'Is it solid gold?'

'Yes. Somehow it makes the blood look,' he paused, 'luminous, I guess. It's an old tradition. I know you don't need tonight, but I guess you should have it anyway.'

Katara nodded, unwilling to hear or talk anymore. She gazed out onto the water, the moon that was reflected onto its surface was rippling softly with the disturbances the boat created with its movement. The pull of the moon beset her with an incredible need to bend and she contented herself with making the boat move faster, but she knew that for the next few days she wouldn't get any sleep.

oOo

His home was far from the village, at the top of a very big hill – or a very small mountain. It was dark and secluded and Katara could feel the horror of her childhood returning, this was the man who had killed her mother. The roof was a typical fire nation pagoda roof, red and gold and she bet it was splendid in the sunlight. Jian followed her from the back of the house onto the roof and in through an open window on the second floor.

The inside of the house was shrouded in shadows and Jian almost tripped over a table, he flew through the air and ended up landing on his fingertips in a handstand before falling back gently.

Katara smirked at his mistake. 'Be careful you idiot.' She hissed.

'That _was _careful, I went out of my way to stay silent you know.'

They continued through the house and came to a corridor with several large oak doors that led to every possible direction. They paused outside each one, listening. Katara felt the pull of the moon pushing down on her, making it harder to breathe and harder to concentrate. She half ran to the final door, disregarding the others and pressed her ear to it. Not a single snore penetrated the silence of the night. She slipped it open, something telling her that that was the room. That was the room that evil slept in. It was barely open a crack, but she slipped through the gap and looked about the room. A man lay in his luxurious bed, swaddled by pillows and blankets made of what looked like satin.

Katara crept closer, and lifted the blanket slightly. The man beneath it was old and grey but she knew it was him. She knew from his brown eyes, and the cruelty within them, the eyes that had looked at her as a child with contempt and hatred. It took her a moment to realise that the eyes were open, that he was awake, and that he was staring right at her. She launched into action and pulled a dagger from her belt, one Jian had given her, and moved to cut him, but he had wriggled beneath the covers and disappeared in the numerous piles of pillows.

Katara walked backwards quickly, trying not to trip on her own feet. She stopped when her back hit the wall and moved so that she was in the corner. Yes that almost explicitly means she was cornered, but it also meant he didn't have a chance of sneaking up on her, and that was her biggest worry.

A part of the blanket shifted and she knew exactly where he was on the bed. She ran, tiptoeing, and jumped on the bed, making a stabbing motion as she did. She stabbed a pillow.

He jumped out from under the bedding and landed rather nimbly on his feet on the wooden floor. He had somehow grabbed a long pointed dagger, similar to the one she held and she looked down at her hand in disbelief at just _how_ similar they were. She shook her head slightly, it was such a random thought and very much the wrong time to be thinking about it.

A heavy weight smashed into her and she was too shocked to scream. _Where was Jian?_ He straddled Katara and grabbed her neck, throttling her and shaking her head while he did so. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her blood rushing in her ears and she stared dizzily at her captor.

In one final move of defiance, for she was sure she was going to die, she cut him with her dagger. It was shallow, because daggers are meant for stabbing not slicing, but he let go of her and clutched his thigh. Obviously it had hurt a lot. With oxygen returning to her blood stream Katara kicked out involuntarily, her leg pencil straight and it slammed into the back of Yon Rha's head. He flopped down in pain but grabbed her wrist and squeezed it tight until she dropped her dagger.

Katara slid out from under him and backed away, realising that she couldn't kill him, even in self defence. The battle had been a minute altogether and completely silent and in that time Katara had felt hatred, desperation, fear, strength and resignation. It had aged her greatly and she felt like a fifty year old woman.

During her tiny epiphany, Yon Rha had staggered to his feet and was running at her, holding her dagger. She snapped back to reality in time to notice and throw her arms up in the final line of defence. Her eyes screwed themselves shut and she cried out in fear and anticipation of the pain.

But it didn't come. She opened her eyes and glanced through the barrier of arms, unwilling to lower them. Yon Rha had frozen mid-step with the dagger in the air. She began to lower her arms, and as she did Yon Rha's knees began to bend. Her mind was far away, connecting with the sky, the moon and she realised she was in control of two bodies.

Somehow she had _bloodbent_.

She began to lower him to his knees, unsure what to do when she got him there. The door creaked and she flung her head to where Jian was letting himself in. Her arms hadn't dropped but she had lost focus and, with Yon Rha being old and not as flexible as he used to be, his knees went out from under him. Yon Rha had control of his body for the rest of his life, which was not a very long time because when he fell his head smacked the corner of a table and that was it.

'Oh no. Katara this is bad.' Jian looked at her his eyes wide in fear. 'You didn't kill him. The Gunner's, they'll go after your brother.' His eyes flickered to Yon Rha. 'It's ok, we can lie. Yes that'll work.' He paused. 'But they'll find out eventually. They always do, there's no secret the Gunners Lead doesn't know.' His brain flickered about erratically, a mixture of fear and desperation. Katara knew how he felt.

'I killed him.'

'He fell Katara, don't lie to me.'

'No. I killed him Jian.' Even though she hadn't, Katara had decided it was safest this way, not letting anyone know it had been an accident. To demonstrate how he had died she pulled the Gunners Coin out her pocket and bent some of the blood from the growing pool on the floor onto the coin. 'I'm a bloodbender.'

**Alright guys just a heads up, I don't know about all of you but I'm on half term which is just a week off school and then the Queens Jubilee mixed in – which is just a cheat so we don't get extra time off – but anyways after Sunday I will be posting less because I will be walking to school, working, walking home, eating and sleeping. No homework though – I never do that :) Point being, prepare yourselves and love me while you have the chance.**

**Please review!**

**I took aspects from the series about Yon Rha but I decided to make it different in some ways too (Yon Rha didn't live with his mum and he was actually quite rich etc.), because the story was becoming quite similar to the episode 'the southern raiders' in this chapter. I'm really sorry about that, but it was the only person I could think that Katara would hate. (Just another thing, I know I said there was no war, but the fire nation still sent raiders around because they weren't a particularly nice nation, but the other kingdoms tolerated it.) So again really sorry about the similarities, I hope you didn't find it too much like a rip off of the episode. It had to happen for my story to progress..**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: If I owned avatar it probably would've ended up as a 'teenage' cartoon because of bad language and general rude comments. It's just in my vocabulary.**

**So no, I still don't own ATLA.**

_Chapter Four_

A hand slammed into the mahogany desk in front of the First Gunner. He cracked open an eye and had to forcefully stop himself from reeling back. The new assassin 'One' was staring directly at him, unblinking, with a face full of malice. The other eye opened too, albeit rather lazily, and assessed the threat.

Her hand, a clenched fist on the table, opened so that it was flat and her eyes lingered on his face for a moment. Then she was gone, a coin left where her hand had been. The blood glistened like it was still wet and he stared for a moment before calling on the others of the Gunners Lead to talk.

oOo

'She killed him on her recon mission! She's a born Gunner!'

'I admit it's impressive First but she doesn't _want _to be a Gunner we can't stick her with such a huge mission!' The Second of the Lead protested.

'She's shown promise! We have to test her out now.' The First whined.

'Yes, she's shown _promise_ not definite brilliance. We can't afford failure, not a single one.'

'This is the perfect test Second!'

'This is the perfect end of the Gunners Fold First! We do this, we've practically signed our own death sentence.'

The Third Lead always tired quickly of their arguments and he was looking forward to returning home that evening. 'We will speak to her mentor Jian, he followed her there. She needs an assassin name before we assign her any more tasks.'

They nodded in agreement and the First Lead walked to the door to find Jian.

'Oh, I almost forgot. She gave me her coin.' He placed it on the table and left.

'So Second, how is finding the new recruits going this year?'

oOo

Katara slid across the floor on her back, being attacked by Jian wasn't as fun as she'd thought it would be. He had banned her from bending and she had taken away his knives, even since the night with Yon Rha, Jian had been a little off with her, almost like he was _scared_ of her.

He jumped over her body, aiming to land next to her head and grab her neck. She whipped him out the air by grabbing one of his ankles and he fell on top of her with a thump. Despite Jian being slight and of average height, his weight crushed her – probably all that muscle. She turned them round with a slip of her arms so that she was on top of him. With her face aimed directly at his chest. She moved up his body and straddled him, a finger on his throat.

'I win.' She said brightly, and that was when the First Gunner walked in. Katara hadn't noticed and waited for Jian to acknowledge her victory. 'Aw don't be a sore loser.'

'One.' She started at him using her given name and followed his eyes to the First Gunner who stood, thin lipped and un-amused in the door way. She rolled off Jian, and, with a blush, disappeared out the door and into her own office.

'I am assuming you're here for my report?' Jian asked, sitting up. 'It's on the desk.'

'Ah I'm afraid Jian that because of One's unique situation we want you to report vocally and answer our specific questions should any arise. Please follow me.' Jian picked the report up off of his desk and walked in silence to the meeting room where the Second and Third Gunners were waiting.

'Take a seat, tell us what happened.' The First Lead pointed towards a chair but Jian ignored him and bowed respectfully to the other Leads before taking a different seat at the centre of the room. He took the offered tea cup from the Third and sipped delicately before starting the story.

oOo

'So in full, it was completely unplanned for Yon Rha to die on our recon trip and it was not meant as disrespectful that we did not inform you. Katara just got caught in a battle and sealed the deal early.'

'So how exactly did Yon Rha die?' The Second Lead asked and Jian could visibly see the First perk up in interest.

'I wrote about it in detail in the file but it was something Katara called 'Bloodbending'. She used the water in his body to control him and she bashed his head against a table.'

'So she's a waterbender?'

'Yes.'

'We must keep this a secret between the Lead and Katara's mentors. We should tell only Mai, the other Gunner's might try to corrupt her.' The First Lead interrupted the conversation with an excited squeak.

The third stood up, his jasmine tea finished. 'We shall not tell Mai. The less people who know, the better. Instead we shall not assign her a name but let her keep her own, rather than mentioning blood in her title. We can tell the Gunners that this is to please her because she began unwilling when infact it is to keep her talents secret. It would also be helpful as something to make her happy because she is obviously a very powerful bender.' He turned to Jian. 'Do you know her real name?'

Jian winced, he wasn't meant to, but he couldn't lie to the most powerful of the Gunners Lead. 'Katara.'

The Third Gunner's mouth quirked slightly at the corner. 'Even better. Have her learn how to use her namesake and then new Gunners won't question her name either.'

'Of course, sir.'

'That'll be all.'

Jian bowed and left the room, catching the start of their shocked conversation as he left. Katara had certainly made an impression.

oOo

'So we have some good news for you.'

Katara looked up from her parchment; she'd been writing a letter to Sokka, a letter that of course, she could never send.

'What was the first thing you asked me when we met?'

Katara smiled; somehow she remembered every detail of that day. 'I asked you: Why not?'

'And I told you that you couldn't use your name because it was just how things were done around here.'

'What does this have to do with good news?' Katara had a feeling she knew, though it was more of a deep set hope that she would have something to cling to from her past.

'Well, _One_, your name, assassins or not, will always be Katara.' She threw herself at him, unsure what else there was to do. She was so happy she just needed to let it out. Jian stood there unmoving until she let go.

'Why?' She asked, suddenly suspicious.

'Your name reflects your talent, but your bloodbending must remain a secret, so we are telling the Gunners that this is to make your more cooperative. Oh, and you also have to learn how to use the _dagger_ called Katara. So we don't tell your past to other people.'

She nodded solemnly and then a grin broke out on her face. 'Thank you.'

oOo

Jian appeared at her door, just a day after she had found out she could keep her name. 'We have to go to the main hall now.'

'What for?'

'Your initiation Katara.' He paused. 'Oh, and I didn't tell you that you could keep your name – got it?' She nodded.

They walked the long weaving paths that led to the hall and Katara was surprised at how well she knew them. If you looked to the top left of each wall there was always a tiny arrow in the direction of the main hall. And the bottom right had a symbol for the nearest assassin's rooms/office. Hers would be carved in there soon.

They reached the grand doors and she let her fingers brush the engraved water symbol as they entered. Somehow, it made her feel stronger.

Jian picked up a basket from the centre of the room; it was a beautiful wicker basket that had been woven delicately with a large, arching handle. Then he carried on walking to the far end and to another door. Katara followed in his wake.

They entered a room that was uncomfortably warm and Katara felt the air suffocating her even as she breathed. The Gunners Lead stood before them and Katara and Jian both bowed.

'You must create a pendant that you will be attached to in life, using your chosen weapon which is in the basket. It will then be cooked in your blood.' The Third Gunners nodded to Katara and Jian passed her a block of blue stone, Chalcedony, she guessed and a Katara dagger. She took the dagger and was ready to start carving when she realised, that had said to use _her_ chosen weapon.

She dropped the dagger and pulled some water out of a jug of water that had been left on table in case someone felt thirsty and used it to carve a replica of the pendant her mother's necklace had held. The Gunners Lead had taken the ribbon after the ceremony where she said her vows so she had given the pendant to Sokka. This was her chance to still have something close to home. When she had completed a pendant that looked exactly like her one from the water tribe she slashed a line through it. It was deep and ruined the artwork that had taken her half an hour, but she couldn't let something as beautiful as a betrothal necklace be used to mark her as a gunner. The gash was her way to show that.

She picked up the stone and placed it on a different wooden table that was in the corner of the room. Jian had followed her there and he looked at her expectantly. She pulled a little more water from the jug and it formed a tiny icicle the size of a splinter.

She stabbed down on Jian's finger with it and twisted it down so that a drop fell onto the pendant. She sliced her own finger completely down the middle so that blood poured out and spattered on the table and pendant. The blood continued to pour out and she melted the icicle and healed her finger with the liquid, leaving nothing but a little blood left on her palms.

Healing had been something she had learnt as a child from the village waterbenders. The Southern Water Tribe wasn't as backward as the Northern Water Tribe and both women and men could learn to fight and heal if they wanted.

She picked up the pendant and Jian led her into the room next door where a giant oven stood. _No wonder the other room was so hot. _Katara thought. She dropped the stone in and Jian slipped in Yon Rha's coin.

When they reached Jian's rooms she turned to look at him. He was sucking the finger she'd cut.

'Did I cut you too deep?'

'What? No. It's just that small cuts hurt.'

Katara smiled at his childish tone and disappeared into his bathroom. There were several buckets worth of water in his bath tub for that afternoon and she took the tiniest amount in her palms. When she reappeared it flew through the air and caught on his hand.

'Is it all better now?' She asked mockingly.

Jian frowned slightly at this, Katara's attitude had changed a lot since she had killed Yon Rha and she seemed to be a lot more loyal to the Gunner's Fold. Hell, she seemed to be _enjoying_ herself. Something was wrong in that girls head.

'I wanna see my brother.' She blurted it out and then clapped a hand over her mouth as though she didn't mean to say it.

'So _that's _why you've been acting so strangely. Ok.'

'Look I know the Gunner Lead don't want me to- Wait. Did you just say yes?'

'I did, but there are conditions.' Wariness clouded Katara's eyes and Jian held up a finger before she could interrupt. 'One, you must wait until you're initiated fully. Two,' He raised another finger, counting them off. 'you must accept another mission so that you have an excuse to leave the complex. And Three, you must swear to return, not that you'll have much choice by that point.'

'Skipping over the no choice snippet there, I reject your conditions.'

'What? Why?'

'They weren't all that reasonable.' Katara scoffed. 'I can wait until I'm initiated, I can swear to return. But I cannot ask for another mission. I cannot ask for an excuse to murder.'

'It's the only way you can see your brother. They won't give a mission for at least another year while you improve your skills unless you ask for one. That's a year without seeing your brother.'

'I just I don't think I can.'

Jian nodded and Katara left to bathe and then sleep. A servant arrived with Jian's dinner and he handed the servant a letter. The wax seal that closed it held the symbol on his pendant and it was cast in a vibrant green.

'Give this to the First of the Gunners Lead.'

'Yes sir.'

And with that the servant was gone and Jian was left with the question of whether or not he had just crossed a very important line.

oOo

'So what is it now First, why couldn't you sort this with Second?' The Third Gunner always tired of the First quickly and he knew today would be no exception. The man was over excited at his status even though it had turned him into an over glorified go to man or lackey.

'This is beyond Seconds power sir.'

That caught The Third Gunners attention.

'Jian has requested Katara receive another mission, preferably something taxing.'

The Third raised an eyebrow.

'I wanted to set her the _special_ mission sir, if you will allow me.' The First wheedled for his way.

'After her full initiation tonight, I will visit her myself and if I see it fit, then we shall employ her in this mission. But be warned First, this will be on your head if it goes wrong. Jian and Mai will face consequences, but _you _will be stripped of your status. Remember that.'

'Of course Third.' The First Gunner scurried away, thrilled at getting what he wanted and ready to practise the perfect smirk to show The Second Gunner that he had won in that particular battle. He could already imagine how smug he would look. No, not smug, _victorious._

oOo

The night had drawn in quickly and Jian felt apprehension bubbling in his stomach. He was excited to see Katara's pendant and glad that she couldn't escape after the ceremony, but he was worried for her and he wondered if she had already been pushed over the edge or, if not, if the full initiation would do that for them. She was a liability and Jian frowned as he thought of what he'd let himself into.

They walked in silence down the halls which had never seemed that enclosing to Jian before, but now they were positively claustrophobic. Even when he had first joined he hadn't cared, all he'd wanted to do is leave, he'd never been one for fear.

Katara was walking rather purposefully down the hall, but he had gotten to know her over the past few days, not including the time she was locked up in her rooms, and he knew she was scared and worried.

They reached the main hall and the doors swung open for them. Katara gasped at the hall, which was completely blacked out, and they stepped inside. Jian led her to the centre of the room and stopped Katara before she walked into a raised podium. Suddenly hundreds of tiny flames just _appeared_ and she realised they were floating in the air like little beacons. The largest flame was around the pedestal, and Katara took a step forward, she had never had a reason to fear fire.

'It's a test.' Was all Jian said before he melted into the shadows. Katara smiled at the cryptic traditions of the Gunners Fold and then she looked about. What about it could have been a test? There was the pedestal and the flames, it had to be about those. Maybe she had to put out the flames? Katara sat down next to the fire-engulfed pedestal whilst she thought.

_It can't be just extinguishing the flames, this is something special I guess. Jian told me this is where I'd get my necklace and my name, so it must to be to do with those. Maybe I have to find the necklace? Or maybe I have to light up the room fully?_

Another flames appeared over a bucket of water, as though the Gunner's were getting bored and wanted to spur her on. Katara stood up and looked into the flames that surrounded the pedestal.  
If she squinted she could see that there, at the very centre, was her necklace. Now what was the best way to go about getting it?

Katara pulled some of the water from the bucket and doused the fire, only to see it spring back up again. That obviously wasn't the idea.

_Wait, the Gunner's Fold is all about being fearless right?_

Katara pulled the water in the bucket towards her, using it to push the bucket too so that it ended up right by her feet, then she thrust her hands into the flames and grabbed the necklace. Her screams were at such a high pitch that nobody heard them and she dragged her hands out and plunged them into the bucket.

The lights came up and the flames all disappeared. Katara pulled her hands out the bucket, fully healed, and a ripple of surprised murmurs spread through the room as the Gunners noticed. Jian came to stand next to her and she fished the pendant out the bucket.

'You know I expected you to wear water gloves when you pulled it out.'

Katara frowned, why hadn't she thought of that? 'I guess I just like doing things the hard way.'

Jian snorted quietly and they looked to the Gunners Lead who stood atop a podium. 'Let the Gunners Fold welcome our newest Gunner. Her name shall be Katara.' The First Gunner squeaked.

The Third cleared his throat and looked to Katara. 'Put on your necklace.'

Her fingers fumbled with the clasp and when it clicked into place the stone began to glow. The light encompassed her whole body and she snapped her eyes shut in fear. The Gunners chanted around her, and when the light finally stopped, so did they.

'Katara, your necklace is a part of your life. If you go too far from it you will die. If you do not return here at least once every two months it will kill you itself.' With that the lights were extinguished and everyone disappeared. Katara and Jian were left standing for a moment before they made towards the door and walked calmly down the halls back to Jian's office.

'Can I see it?'

'Sure.' Katara unclasped the necklace and held it out to him.

Jian gasped in horror. 'KATARA! You _never _give away your necklace! You could _die._ Keep it on your neck at _all_ times.'

'Um, Ok.' She pulled back her outstretched arm and fastened the necklace again. Jian came close and looked at it.

'It's beautiful. Why did you slash it?'

'To remind me why I'm here.'

Jian was about to ask what she meant when Third Gunner appeared in the door way.

'Katara, you should be in your office. I want to talk to you.'

Katara bowed her head and hurried out of the room, whenever she saw the Third Gunner the room went cold, she knew she was scared of him, she just didn't know why.

She slammed the door and leaned against it, convinced that the Third Gunner was going to hurt her or condemn her when he came in to 'talk'. She staying leaning against it for a while, trying to catch her breath. The Third Gunner knocked on the door three times and she experienced the vibrations in her back. It felt ominous. She stepped away from the door, composed herself, and whipped it open.

The Third Gunner stepped inside and his hooded form sent chills of terror down her spine. He sat rigidly on an armchair and gestured for her to do the same.

She joined him and offered tea of many flavours. He declined.

oOo

'WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY TO HIM KATARA?' Jian burst into her rooms astounded by what he had heard.

Katara leapt back and then calmed when she saw who had intruded. 'What do you mean?'

'THE THIRD GUNNER,' He paused. 'The Third Gunner, you must have made him angry. He wants you dead.'

Katara _visibly_ paled, her face as white as any fire nation woman's. 'H- He' She stuttered and was unable to speak any other words.

'He's not going to _stab _you Katara.'

'So then how does he want me dead?' Katara would have smiled at the fact she had managed a full sentence if they weren't on the subject of her soon to be non-existence.

Jian sighed. 'You must have made him angry Katara, I don't see how else this is possible. He set you another assassination attempt.'

'How will that kill me? And I thought you said I would get another one unless I requested it.'

'I requested one for you.'

'WHAT?'

'It was for your own good Katara! You need to get out of here! You wanted to see your brother! I helped you along!'

'I specifically told you I would never ask to kill.'

'That's why I asked for you.'

'Right, now back to my question Jian. How will this kill me?'

'He set you,' Jian trailed off and muttered something inaudible.

'So it's the person that'll kill me? You need to speak louder.'

'He set you the Fire Nation Prince, Katara. Now tell me again, did you do anything wrong when he spoke to you?'

He waited for an answer, but Katara was no longer listening. She had sunk to the floor in shock and begun to cry. There was no way she could manage that murder, even if she wanted to.

She mumbled something inaudible and Jian nudged her. She repeated herself, louder. 'This is it. I'm going to die.' And with that she broke down and grabbed Jian so she'd have someone to hug while she cried.

**Little note: The Gunners Lead knows the background of every Gunner and of each other (just a btw)**

**Tiny cliff hanger!**

**Sorry I took so long with this one. I've just gotten back to school and I've been really busy with all of the test results and thinking of ways to make them sound less crappy than they actually are... So yeah, hope you liked it. Promise to be quicker next time! Besides, it's an extra long chapter!**

**AND seriously guys! I'm losing the will to live! REVIEW! It's what I live for!**


	6. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: Do I own Avatar? Has this changed since Chapter Four? Can teenagers own something that was created when they were 7 or 8? No, No and No.**

_Chapter Five_

'I'm going to die.'

Those were the only words Katara felt like she could say. It was almost as though her tongue and her lips wouldn't work except to form those four words.

'I'm going to die.' She repeated.

'Look, Katara, it's not going to be easy. Hell it'll be nigh on impossible. But if we work together and you practise your bloodbending then maybe we'll have a shot.'

She shook her head adamantly. 'I'm going to die.'

'Look at me.' When Katara didn't respond Jian grabbed her chin and angled her face towards him. 'Look at me.' Her eyes flickered to his face. 'We can do this, you have something no one else has Katara.'

A tear rolled down her cheek and she said those four words for the last time that day. 'I'm going to _die._'

A look of annoyance crossed his face. 'Well if you're so set on _that _conclusion, then at least you have a year to live, because that's how long you have to kill him.'

Katara stared up at Jian. 'A year?'

'Yep.'

'That doesn't seem so bad.' A faint smile graced her lips as she realised that she had managed to form actual sentences.

'One whole year.'

'One whole year.' She repeated almost resolutely.

oOo

'Does this mean I can see Sokka now?'

Jian smiled at her quiet eagerness. 'Yes, we'll have to tell the Gunners that you're scoping out the palace or something while you're gone, so it can't be a very long meeting because you will have to actually go to the palace as well. You need to produce a report of everything you do.'

'For people who cause chaos, you sure love your organisation.'

'Ironic isn't it?'

'Extremely. Go on then, tell them I'm going to check out the palace and get myself a mental map.' Katara smiled inwardly, she could finally see Sokka again, at least for a little while.

'I'll go right now.'

Jian marched down the hall in a particularly obvious way so that people wouldn't bother him. The first gunner walked past, looking rather flustered.

'Ah Jian, I was just on my way to see you.'

'An interesting coincidence sir, as I was on my way to see you.'

'I have some news for Katara.'

Jian nodded as a gesture for the first gunner to continue.

'We, as the Gunners Lead, have decided that should Katara complete this task, she will have permission to leave The Fold without repercussions. Of course, she would be an invaluable asset but we believe that that is only possible if she is a _willing _asset.' The First gunner took in Jian's shocked expression with well concealed glee. Of course, he would never tell Jian that the Gunner's Lead hoped Katara would perish during the act, or at least when she left, they could kill her as she would no longer be a member of The Fold. They had long since decided she was a liability.

'That is wonderful news for Katara, I will be sure to tell her. It is perfect motivation for her. The reason I came to talk to you was to schedule a time for Katara to scope out the castle herself and find a likely route.'

'She will need to train before we'll let her go anywhere. If she is so eager to get out then take her to train outside. But be careful Jian, don't let her go walkabout.' The First Gunner narrowed his eyes. 'We'll know.' With that threat he turned on his heel and disappeared into the darkness leaving Jian gobsmacked and alone.

'Jian! Jian!' He could hear Katara's insistent voice down the hall and he winced, he just wasn't ready to face her yet, to face losing her.

'There you are! You left this in my rooms.' She handed him a small dagger that normally rested on his belt. His hand went to his hip, feeling the empty space.

'I never took it off.' He muttered and Katara smiled knowingly.

'I decided to get a little creative. A guess it's another skill for my résumé.'

'Theft? Katara, you should know that you can't steal from anyone, it's a rule round here. The most you can do is take from a victim.'

'Yeah, yeah. It was just a bit of fun. So what did the First Gunner say?'

Jian took a deep breath and held it while he mustered the courage to tell her she could leave. 'He said you couldn't go to the Palace until you've trained a bit more. But we can train outside if you want.'

Disappointment flickered across her face but she smiled and nodded. 'Somewhere bright and sunny.'

'Sure.'

oOo

Katara regretted asking for the sun. The sky was a clear perfect blue and the sun, a perfect golden orb of light, beat down on her like she was a vegetable in a frying pan in desperate need of tenderisation.

'Ok, I want you to practise your bloodbending.'

'What? On who?'

'On me Katara.'

'You trust me that much? I could kill you like that Jian.' She snapped her fingers, certain that this tactic would stop her from having to take away someone's capability. Someone's freedom. If she were honest, the power sickened her to the bone.

'I trust you hate killing and that means you won't kill me. Now do it.'

Katara raised her arms and pretended to try and bend his blood. The blood pounding in her own ears made her very aware of everything around her and it drowned out the rest of the world. She suddenly _felt _his body across the arena, the blood pumping in his arteries, the tension of his muscles. She dropped her arms.

'I can't do it. I'm not powerful enough. It has to be a full moon and night time for me to be able to do this Jian.'

He narrowed his eyes at her lie. 'Try again, focus on a small part of me if you want. But you have to bend something or we won't leave here today. We'll stay until the full moon if we have to.'

She closed her eyes again, mindful of the threat of staying in a strange place with strange people who were all most certainly Gunners. Her body reached the 'place' much quicker and she entered Jian's consciousness. Her body was in tune with his brain and his body, and his _soul_.

Unable to resist she rifled quickly through his memories, after all, he would always be the enemy, no matter how nice he treated her.

She stopped when she found one that he was worried about. 'Should Katara complete the task she will have permission to leave the fold.' That was the First Lead. Why hadn't Jian told her?

One of Jian's surface thoughts drifted past her. _How long is she taking? _Angered, Katara flung her arms out and pushed forward violently, throwing Jian across the room.

_How dare he keep this from me!_

Her consciousness fell from his body as she felt his pain and re-entered her own. She collapsed with the after effects of the pain she had made both of them feel and lay on the ground exhausted.

Katara lay there thinking about her latest ability in what she could only describe as awe, her brain ran through all the possibilities she then had, only to be interrupted by Jian's groan. _Here I am, out in the open, unprotected and I'm _lying _on the ground? _Katara jumped up and ran. She could hear Jian struggling to rise so she let her soul flow into his being and she stopped the oxygen to his brain so that he collapsed into a deep sleep.

She stopped outside and orientated herself, then she noticed 'The Jasmine Dragon' Tea house. She knew where she was going.

oOo

Jian moaned from his awkward position on the floor and jumped to his feet. The sun had long since set and his hands shook in anger. He rolled his neck, which had been left at a right angle (or near enough to it) when he had collapsed, and clenched his fists.

She had obviously gone to see her brother. It was as simple to Jian as anything could ever be, and he knew exactly where Sokka was. He smiled determinedly; he'd have her back before dinner.

He moved to the tea shop outside the fighting complex and went round the back. In the wall a series of handholds had been carved and made to look natural. This was the midnight road. All of the people in the lower and middle district knew about the midnight road, used by Gunners and Thieves to do their daily business. Everyone accommodated the less savoury business men for fear of being punished and _no one_ used it unless they had a symbol for theft or murder. Jian stuck his hand in the first hold and deftly climbed onto the roof, smiling at the lucky timing of his awakening. It's called the midnight road because it can only be used in the dark of night.

His feet skimmed rooftops and he ran along the centre of several pagoda style roofs before leaving the shopping district. The roofs became less well made and more shabby with every step and soon Jian was careful to watch his 'light as a feather' footing.

He settled on the roof of the inn that Sokka had first been visited by Katara in and listened to the conversation in the only lit room.

'Ah Suki, I'm just so worried about her. Why would they want her to join them?'

'I can't answer that Sokka. I think that all we can do is be grateful that they didn't just slit both of your throats. The Fold is ruthless, you know that.'

'I just wish I could see her again. Tell her I love her and that I'm grateful, and that she's going to be an auntie.'

'I know sweetie.'

Jian rocked back on his haunches, already bored of their mundane conversation. So Katara hadn't arrived yet? That would make his victory that much better, she wouldn't get upset by seeing her brother.

He settled on the inns roof and waited for what he thought was the inevitable.

oOo

Katara looked to the sky, it was sunset and she _still _hadn't found her way. Of course it wouldn't be dark or cold for another few hours because of the ridiculous Fire Nation weather, but she still had to return soon. She hurried through the streets, heading uphill all the time, remembering something her brother once told her when they first arrived at the Fire Nation.

'_Katara, if you ever get lost or we get separated, head to the palace. They say that every road in the city leads there if you walk uphill.'_

And so she was, and it was hard work. She had been walking for a good two hours because of course the Gunners fighting arenas had to be as far as humanly possible from the Fire Nation Palace. She had even head further downhill before turning around; her original idea was to see Sokka. But this way, she could see Sokka and never have to leave him. The only flaw in her otherwise crystal plan was that she would have to kill a certain Prince Zuko.

The Palace was nearing her vision and she gasped at the sheer size of it and thought of having to search every room. _No, _she admonished herself _only rooms in the towers, upper floors and with balconies. _Which from the looks of it, would still have been a colossal task, if it weren't for the fact that she could see a Prince stood on his balcony looking down at her, too far to see clearly but definitely dressed in Princely clothing. _Thank you for making my job easier!_

And even better, a perfect little trail of vines, possibly that of the Fire Lily, lead right past it!

She skipped around the palace walls and pulled out a knife that she used to lever out bits of cement from the red bricking. It was slow work, but when she was done she used the holds to heft herself up and over in seconds.

The shadows that covered the garden were complete and left a lot to the imagination. Katara found herself crawling whilst keeping on hand the wall so she would bump into anything. This made her movement slow and laboured, and she knew that even if she wanted Prince Zuko dead, it wouldn't happen tonight. She darted across the grass, glad for the darkness that the Fire Nation seemed to have in constant supply. The vines that covered the side of the Palace looked thinner up close and Katara eyed them suspiciously, suddenly doubting her plan, what if they snapped when she was near the top?

She slid a knife in between her teeth and clamped down on it, determined that she would be able to use it if she lost her hold. Later on Katara recognised that as wishful thinking. She scaled the vines quickly, not wanting to let any of them snap under her weight. She smiled when she glanced up; the bottom of the balcony was no more than a meter away. A small crack sounded below her and Katara turned her head and body sharply towards it. Her movement ripped the vine from the wall and her feet tangled in the now gravity-defying plant. Her feet launched off the wall and she threw herself at the balcony, her fingers catching the edge.

She glanced down from her new hanging position to see what had almost killed her, another figure was creeping around the gardens, seemingly invisible, but they hadn't noticed her. She frowned at the thought of running into another Gunner, or just the possibility of being watched by the clumsiest assassin she had ever seen.

She hoisted herself up before her fingers slipped and flipped her legs over the balcony in a casual manner. The glass doors were open and welcoming, so Katara took it as a come on in and entered, making straight for the bed. The Prince that lay there was now fast asleep and comfortable among the numerous pillows and thin silk sheets.

She drew her knife from her teeth and leaned over the Prince, considering slitting his throat without having to see his face or his fear. But then he rolled over. She cursed at her own stupidity; Prince Zuko had a huge, unmistakable scar, she'd heard about it enough and it was enough mentioned in her profile of him! This boy, clearly, did not. She picked up a scroll from the desk, just another boring letter about a political meeting, addressed to Prince Lu Ten of the Fire Nation.

Katara's palm met her forehead in what could only be described as embarrassing due to the fact she was interrupted.

'What are you doing in here?'

She turned around; hand still attached to her forehead and then, remembering, dropped her arm.

'I said what are you doing here? In Prince Lu Ten's room? Reading a letter? And... uh, hitting yourself.'

'That's personal.' Katara smiled at having found her voice and smiled further at the thought that her face was covered so her little blush as his comment was concealed.

'In this room, everything is my business.'

'Well, I was hitting myself because I need punishing. See how that's personal?'

'Very funny. If you want to live without suffering torture just tell me now.'

Katara squinted through the darkness, immensely annoyed with the mystery person. He was standing far enough away that she couldn't even see his face.

'I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself.' She grinned as the person took a step back at her reply.

'You're a man.'

'Is that a statement or a question?' She figured it would always be best to lie in any awkward situation, so she followed through and made her movements less feminine and her posture taller.

'Let me see your face.'

Katara remained silent.

'Let me see _your face._' His voice raised in anger and Katara winced.

'Tut tut, we don't want to wake up Mr Sleepy-Head over there. Let's take this conversation outside.'

The figure hopped out the doors and Katara almost grinned at his eagerness to comply. She didn't follow. She ran into the conjoining bathroom and jumped out the window, executing a somersault that left her vertical way too high above the ground. She could see the figure watching and her knife slammed into the wall, Katara had almost forgotten that step. Her body jolted with the impact and her arm wrenched out the socket. She was left about a meter off the ground so she levered her legs on wall and ripped out the knife, pushing off at the same time and doing another somersault that landed her on her feet. She ran off into the night and was gone before the figure on the balcony could say 'wow' which he did.

**Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews! Gimme more! Just a thing, because there was no war Lu Ten never died so that's why he's included. I didn't feel like I could get rid of Zuko's scar though because it's such a defining part of his character so you'll find out about that later... :)**


	7. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: I'm running out of different ways to say this. I don't own the Spice Girls, I don't own a fridge and no I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender**

_Chapter Six_

Katara clutched her arm as she ran, tears mixing with the rain that soaked her hair and clothes. The pain was _excruciating _in the least. She could visibly see the sun getting ready to rise and she upped her pace, determined to reach the Gunner's Fold before it's light hit the city.

She didn't make it.

Jian grabbed her from behind and pulled her to a stop.

'Where the _hell _have you been?' His hiss was angry and threw little flecks of spit into her hair.

She turned to face him and he winced at the sight of her. Jian was just a little wet, Katara was drenched, her hair tangled and muddy and her entire body language told him she was exhausted and in pain.

'What did you do Katara?'

'I dislocated my arm.' She knew that wasn't what he had asked but he popped it back in anyway, making Katara cry out.

'That's not what I asked.'

'I went to a bar. And there was a fight. And I got hurt in that.'

'Don't lie to me. Why would you go to a bar?'

'I, I have a friend who works in one. A big man came up to us and, uh, suggested something, so my friend punched him and started the fight.' Katara would have been pretty impressed with her lie but she was too exhausted to care and her voice had reached a dull monotone.

'I don't believe you.'

'Well I don't trust you.'

Jian raised an eyebrow and grabbed her good arm, motioning for them to carry on. 'Here's our story then. We trained and then went for a walk around the Fire Nation so I could show you some places to hide out when on missions.'

'Um, why do we need a story?'

'Because otherwise we'll both be punished.'

He lifted a grate in the ground and motioned for Katara to jump. 'Thank you.' She jumped in and immediately disappeared to sleep and consider the night's events.

oOo

The First Lead knocked on Katara's door, eager to return to his game of Pai Sho. It opened silently and he was greeted similarly.

'Katara, because you have completed some semblance of training, and I have Jian's assurances that you are ready and a competent bloodbender, you may investigate the Palace further. I suggest you wear a disguise.'

Katara nodded silently and then opened her mouth with a question. 'What would you suggest would be sufficient time for my preparations sir?'

'Oh go tonight if you must.' The First Lead swept out the room, intentionally sabotaging Katara was not something he particularly enjoyed but she had to be disposed of.

Katara jumped up and pulled on some fresh clothing before climbing out the grate in her ceiling and heading to the shopping district.

'Good morning miss, spare some change?'

A small orphan boy stood before Katara and her maternal instincts instantly took hold.

'Of course I can dear, how about this. If you can lead me to a couple of shops I'll buy you your lunch and give you some extra money.'

The youth nodded and took her hand.

'Ok, we're looking for somewhere that sells hair dye.' She was led through the labyrinth of stalls into a small market filled with fresh fruit shops. 'Are we in the right place?'

'Yes miss, it sells the black plums, they'll make your hair nice and dark.' He froze. 'You did want dark hair miss?'

'Yes, of course I did.' Katara smiled and bought five of the plums, they were large and round and truly looked like they had been made of shadows and night time.

'What next ma'am?'

'I need to change the colour of my eyes.'

'Are you going to a ball ma'am?'

'Yes, I need to have golden eyes and dark hair and pale skin, so that I will fit into the crowd.'

'Ahh, then we should go to Cho's'

He led her to a little shop on a secluded street. Inside there were several little coloured disks on a counter.

'She needs the gold ones Cho.'

The man looked to the little boy and dropped two golden disks into a tiny bag. He thrust his hand out for payment and she paid him the exorbitant fee.

oOo

An hour after her journey had began, Katara had collected everything she needed and had fed the little boy. She returned to the fold just after midday, her tan skin slightly burnt by the angry heat of the sun. She was particularly happy with the clothes she had picked up in lieu of the mission, even though they were black, they reminded her of home.

She slipped into her bath tub and washed before covering herself head to toe in the white powder she had bought. It gave her a ghostly appearance and grinned at herself in the mirror. Next she slid in the golden lenses, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust but once they had everything had a slight yellowish tint to it. The mirror told her that they hadn't fully concealed the blue and there were greenish tinges around the edges that created a 'natural' effect. Satisfied with her disguise she collected three of the plums from her bag and cleaved each of them in half.

A knock sounded on her door and Katara left the bathroom, munching the third black plum to answer it.

Jian jumped back in shock at the girl who answered Katara's door. _How had she gotten inside? And where was Katara?_

'Oh good! You can come help.' She ushered him inside and Jian realised from her voice that the strange girl before him _was_ Katara.

'What did you _do_ to yourself? You look like a Fire Nation girl.'

'Exactly. I'm going to the palace tonight, I need a disguise.' Jian opened him mouth to reply but she stopped him with a finger. 'The First Gunner told me to.'

'Oh.'

The juices from the plums had collected in a bowl and Katara thrust it towards him. He poured it over her head and down her chocolate brown tresses, which instantly darkened.

'You should leave soon; it's about an hour to sunset you know.'

'I know, I'm just worried. I don't want things to go wrong like last time.'

'I could go with you.'

Katara smiled inwardly at the thought of having Jian with her to pretend that _he _was the person who visited the night before. But of course he couldn't come; no one could know that she'd been caught.

'I'll be fine, I guess. Is my hair done?'

'Looks like it.'

The juice of the plums had dried in her hair and Katara surveyed it in the mirror, she looked like a true Fire Nation girl with a touch of Earth Kingdom in the eyes. Jian was ushered out of her rooms and she changed into her new black clothes.

It was tighter than she had realised and now that she was wearing it, it didn't remind her of home. The trousers were skin tight and fully black, matching the shirt completely. There was a white belt with plenty of spaces for weapons and there were pockets underneath to hide lock picks and tiny sharp objects. It was definitely useful but a little too out there for Katara's tastes. She filled her pockets and the belt with knives, daggers, lock picks and one tiny vial of poison. Jian had told her that should she ever be captured she was to drink it quickly or to throw her pendant as far as she possibly could. Either would kill her.

Katara had her doubts about the pendant and knew that if worst came to worst she would throw the pendant just for the hope that she may live.

oOo

The journey was longer than she had remembered and Katara was glad that the sun had already gone down. She bent the sweat from her clothes and looked to the castle that was now looming over her. Now that she knew where Prince Lu Ten's room was she knew that Prince Zuko's couldn't be too far away. She ran around the back of the castle and used her pre-made grooves to pull herself over the wall. This time she made it across the gardens quickly and silently, but when she reached the vines she had used the night before, well at least the wall they were attached to, they weren't there. She cursed under breath in a sailor-like fashion and began a lap around the castle.

A small garden came into view, lit by a series of small brightly coloured lamps. Katara ducked behind a tree and looked around, the garden seemed to be empty, but why would there be lamps if there was no one to light them? A small rustle above her told her all she needed to know. Obviously this was the only other way to enter the castle easily and her friend from yesterday was waiting for her, directly above her. Katara could see the branches leading directly to another balcony with wide open doors, as though the figure knew that she felt it was an invitation.

She sat down, her back against the tree and staring straight at a small pond. She had no idea where to go from there. She was contemplating giving up and leaving when she noticed another tree, its branches reached higher than the one she was leaning on and if she were silent she may be able to climb it and switch trees without him noticing.

Deciding she had nothing to lose, she pussyfooted over to the tree and began her ascent on the far side so it would be harder for him to see her. She was painstakingly slow with every movement and the night had just drawn in. She saw the figure stir in his tree and froze, but he just settled again, obviously uncomfortable with his position. Katara continued her climb until she reached the point where she had to switch trees, the problem was that it was sure to be noisy and she couldn't allow herself to be caught, it was a matter of self-respect. She hopped onto the branch and walked across it the way one might cross a tightrope. There is was, the break in the trees, the suddenly colossal gap that lead to the Earth far below. At least there was water nearby should she need it.

She jumped. There was no other way to do it and to be honest she doubted she would manage getting this far. Her fingers grabbed the branch and she hung for a moment before pulling her whole body up with immense effort. The entire thing was completely silent and she grinned at the thought of winning against her mystery enemy.

'Bet you thought that was pretty smooth huh?' The voice was quiet and it made Katara freeze to the spot. 'I saw your feet, you actually came pretty close to kicking me. You can come out now.'

She let go of the branch so that she was balancing on her feet and lifted one quickly. Her fall took her horizontal and she flipped out of it, deciding intimidation from her acrobatic skills was the best option.

Her landing was perfect, but before she could run, a sword pressed to her back.

'Why are you here?' The man asked but she remained silent. 'Why are you _here?_' Exasperated by her lack of response he tried a different question. 'What do you want with Prince Lu Ten?'

Katara couldn't help it, she laughed. She doubled over laughing, somehow her brain had made this man all knowing and talented. Why would she go after royalty who wasn't even in line to the throne? The sword dropped as she fell to the ground, unable to stop, although she no longer knew why.

And then he was there again. He sat on her back, holding her down and slowing her breath. 'What's so funny?'

She shook her head, refusing to respond and another giggle escaped her lips. His sword brushed her hair and paused at her neck. 'I knew you were a woman.'

'Funny, because I have a real manly demeanour.' She giggled again, hysterical. 'I can't believe you fell for that yesterday.'

He dug the sword in slightly at her laughter and she could tell it annoyed him immensely. 'I suggest you answer all my questions now because you seem to be at a bit of a disadvantage.'

Katara bridled at his comment and slipped a dart from the pocket on her hip. She stabbed it into his leg and rolled over sharply so that he fell off her.

'There was never any disadvantage.'

He plucked the dart out his leg and snapped it, casually smelling the substance inside.

'It's a sleeping draft.' Katara smiled helpfully. 'You have about ten minutes before you start snoring. So let's talk.' The man lunged at her and she stepped back playfully. 'Tut Tut, you don't want to make it reach your heart faster now do you?'

'Move into the light.'

Katara smiled knowingly but didn't oblige.

'Move into _the light._' He jumped on her, throwing them both to the centre of the garden and she clutched her hands to her face, forgetting her disguise. The man peeled them back and she gaped at him. At his _scar_.

'I don't know you.' He frowned in disappointment.

'I, you're, oh dear.' Katara couldn't seem to form full sentences so she spat out fragments of what was running through the brain.

His eyes found her neck, where the choker was still hanging. 'Where did you get that?'

She laughed at his naivety and asked him to guess.

'Why does the Gunner's Fold want Lu Ten dead?'

'They don't, Prince Zuko.'

He stiffened at his name and she flashed him a winning smile before he collapsed where he was, asleep.

'They're so cute when they're sleeping.' She muttered amusedly before dragging him across the gardens to the tree that hung over the pond. She heaved him up and dragged him along to a particularly large branch that stemmed quite far out. Then she skipped off and watched him wake just five minutes later.

His whole upper body snapped up on alert which caused him to smack his head on another branch. He cursed in a way Princes should not and rubbed his head. Then he swung his feet over the branch, meaning to stand up. He lifted his body and fell straight into the duck pond two feet below. Water streamed from his hair and he heard Katara cackling as she ran from the scene.

oOo

Katara felt bad for her actions afterwards, but at the time she was angry and upset and she felt that she owed him a good beating for throwing her across the garden like an air-ball. She had grown to feel some form of affection for the figure and now that she knew he was Prince Zuko she knew she would feel even more guilt in killing him. The way she saw it, the more distant you were from a kill, the easier it was. Now that she had had a conversation with him it would be a lot harder to commit.

And she desperately wanted to see Sokka.

Maybe it _was _time to turn to alcohol.

The nearest bar looked calm and near to empty so she walked in, deciding one drink could help to calm her nerves and strengthen her resolve.

'Hi, can I have, um' Katara pointed at a gothic woman in the corner 'what she's having.' With that she plopped herself down on the seat and waited for the man to return with her drink. He watched her expectantly and she flipped him a coin, thinking that was all he wanted but he continued to watch. Catching his idea, she downed the drink and coughed but held most the fire inside. He raised an eyebrow and continued to work.

'That was impressive.' The gothic woman sidled nearer. 'I've never seen anyone down one of those before.'

Katara shrugged. 'It's been a hard day.'

'I'm June.'

'Katara.'

'Well Katara, the next one's on me.'

'I'm not much of a drinker; that was a one off.'

'Well you've had a bad day. I say we end it spectacularly. Say, Katara. Are you a firebender?'

'No.'

'Then today's your chance to be one. Moguei! Get out the Sin Whiskey!'

'What do you mean?'

'This whiskey lets you firebend for a little while.'

'What?'

'You heard me Katara.'

'Can you keep a secret June?' Katara knew she shouldn't be asking, but the world was already spinning and she just didn't care.

'Sure.'

'I'm a waterbender. Will it stop my bending?'

'You know, being a waterbender isn't illegal or anything Katara. What's with the disguise?'

'Er, crazy ex husband?'

'Been there.' June smiled and handed her a tall glass of the stuff. Katara stared at it for a moment, relating the colour to Prince Zuko's eyes. 'Don't drink any more than that and you'll be fine.'

Katara took a small sip and June watched in glee as she spat fire. 'That is _hot!_'

'I warned you! Or,' She frowned, 'I should've.'

Katara nodded and followed suit, both of them taking large gulps from the drinks. She could feel the fire coursing through her veins, and the fire within her very heart. It was wild, uncontrollable – and burning the carpet.

'Alright that's it! Both of you out!' Moguei growled at them and they stumbled out the bar.

'This was fun Katara. If you ever need to talk, I'll probably be in there.' June thumbed in the direction of the bar and stumbled off, leaving Katara to find a really rather long way home. It didn't help that every so often her inner fire would take control and burn something.

oOo

Jian found her the next morning, lying in a gutter and her own drool. Most of the powder had washed off her body with sweat, but her hair was still incredibly black and her eyes were still yellow.

He carried her back, ashamed of the way she had treated herself.

oOo

'Why would you drink so much Katara? Or any at all?'

'It's all too much Jian, I couldn't stand it. I got to forget everything just for one night, or at least, what was left of it.'

'Go and get changed.'

She was still dressed in her black clothing and Jian had decided he despised her like this. The reason he liked Katara so much was because of her innocence and rare beauty. But, he supposed, she was hardly likely to stay that way in the Gunners Fold. Her eyes were bloodshot from the alcohol and she moved with a certain drunkenness that made him feel a little sick. Maybe it was better this way, because then there were no reasons for him to have feelings for her. If all of that was obliterated and a different girl stood in her place, then everything would be ok.

**Two Chapters in Two DAYS! Well done me! Come on guys pay me back by reviewing! And thanks to everyone who followed favourited and reviewed, I'm not ashamed to say that I love you :)**

**So anyways, controlled assessments for the next few weeks (for those of you who don't know, this is what they've replaced coursework with for GCSE's) so I won't be posting as much – though I always make time to put everything else before school so you never know. In fact I've been doing a Food Tech one for the past week and I've still done this but yeah, now I have a couple going on you may just have to wait.**

**Hope you like it!**


	8. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: I have nothing to my name except a £5 **_**coin**_** – that's right. They made those. Jealous?**

_Chapter Seven_

Things had gotten way too close recently, and Katara had had enough. She had been caught both days, and now Prince Zuko was laying traps for her. It should've been her laying traps for him! Not to mention the fact that he had his knife at her back and throat many more times than she was comfortable with.

So no, she hadn't gone back, and she wasn't planning to, at least not for a long time. She and Jian were back in the training arena in the city and it was a new weapon each day. Today was dual broadswords, which Katara had learned to despise in first spar.

'Now, normally you'll be facing someone who has a weapon that they aren't very good at using, if they have a weapon at all – that's because you have the element of surprise. However, some people are prepared and I would bet you a whole bag of silvers and half a bag of gold that Prince Zuko is one of them.'

'Brilliant.' Katara blew a tuft of hair out of her face and sighed.

'So you're going to be fighting me, with my daggers.'

'_What? _Jian that isn't fair! I've only had this morning to train!' Her voice quickly a whine and she imagined herself losing both of the broadswords, her dignity and her will to live in the future fight.

'You may not even _have_ a weapon Katara. What would you do then?'

'A true gentleman would give me one of his.' She sniffed in a mocking tone which made Jian chuckle. He picked up his daggers and sheathed them.

'Now attack me.'

'What?'

'Pretend I'm one of your marks. Attack me.'

He closed his eyes and spun for a moment before plopping to the ground where he was. Katara crept over and tried to move around him to come from behind. His hand reached out and grabbed her ankle, pulling out her feet from under her. She fell in an ungainly manner – dignity gone. The daggers were out, and Katara whipped the broadswords from their sheaths with surprising finesse.

'_Always _have your weapons ready_._'

She rolled her eyes and attacked, finding it hard to keep up with his rapid movements. She flung one sword out, the flat side hitting his wrist so that he dropped a dagger.

'That's why you have two.' He flipped his wrist back up, revealing little loops that held the daggers to his wrists so he couldn't drop them.

Katara scowled. 'That's cheating.'

Jian launched himself at her, he attacked quickly and mercilessly and Katara could barely keep up. The daggers sandwiched one blade, she brought the other up to attack him while he was defenceless but both his wrists twisted and the first sword fell from her grip before she made contact with the second.

He kicked her sword away and Katara launched herself at him, determined to win even though she only had one sword. His tiny jabs and feints made her work hard and she tired quickly. A short gasp escaped her lips and a smirk flickered across his as he dealt the final blows.

He attacked her with one blade high and the other low, and then switched both at the last second so that a blade passed her defences and landed directly over her heart.

'You were good until you lost the sword.'

Katara didn't answer; she was bent at the middle and gasping with the effort to stay standing.

'Why don't you choose what we study tomorrow?'

'Can I say tea?'

'No.'

'Then teach me how to overpower a stronger opponent, oh and a stronger bender.'

'He may not be a stronger bender you know Katara.'

'I know, I've never seen him bend. I just want to be sure I'm prepared.'

'Alright then.'

oOo

Tomorrow came and Katara wished she'd never asked. Jian had to find a strong man to take his place as they were generally equal in strength, and by lunch time Katara felt like a bruised moon peach.

The man was called Toothless. Not because he was toothless oddly enough, it was because most of his opponents ended up toothless instead. They had to borrow him from an earthbending arena and Katara could safely say, she'd never seen someone so huge.

'Ok so this afternoon, we're going to need another bender.' Jian said as he picked at some Jasmine rice.

'What?'

'So you can fight a stronger bender. Although, I'm not sure there is one what with your bloodbending and all.'

'Well, then I won't use it.'

'In that case, maybe we should get Toothless back.'

'No! Anyone but him!'

'Alright! Alright, there was a girl at the arena who wanted to earn some money.'

'What did you tell people at the arena?'

'Just that we're a training school for fighters and benders and we want some people to come and train our students for a day.'

'Huh. Cool.'

oOo

'Alright so Katara, this is the Master Earthbender that you'll be fighting.' Jian waved her forward and then disappeared, obviously he had better things to do.

'Toph?'

'Sweetness? Seriously? Since when did you join a fighting school?'

'Ah you know, what with Sokka and Suki getting married, I needed to do something to occupy my time.'

'Sweet.' Toph rolled her neck and smiled devilishly. 'So what are we meant to do here?'

'We're meant to spar and I'm going to try and use some tricks on you that a less powerful bender may use.'

'Did you just admit I'm a better bender?'

Katara sighed and squealed as Toph struck.

'Rule number one, Student Sweetness. Always have the element of surprise.' She said in an overdone teacher-like voice.

The spar was fun. Katara hadn't had fun in such a long time. She found herself laughing and smiling and fighting like it was a game, not something that could end in death.

She managed to use all of the techniques properly, but it did little difference to the fights because Toph was such a pro. Jian had mentioned learning chi-blocking, but Katara wasn't sure if that was up her street. Taking away peoples bending _and_ their ability to move just seemed cruel.

'Toph?'

'You can talk? I obviously haven't made you work hard enough Sweetness.'

'Can you do me a favour?'

'Sure thing.'

'Can you give Sokka a message for me?'

'Why can't you?'

'They won't let students leave here.'

Toph frowned, she could tell Katara had been lying at certain points in their conversation, her heart _slowed _down, as though she were unhappy about having to do it. Normally somebody's pulse would rocket.

'Well, lay it on me.'

Once she heard Katara's message, she knew something was up.

'Ok, Sweetness I'll deliver it.'

'Oh and, don't let anyone here know that we know each other.'

Toph held up her hands. 'I'm not stupid.'

She punched the Earth so that she was pushed to her feet and walked out of the arena quietly. Katara watched her go with a feeling of sadness so intense that tears just wouldn't come.

oOo

'So, I _think _I want to go back to the Palace.'

'What? When?' Jian looked up from his blade, he'd been sharpening it meticulously.

'Tonight.'

'And you're not just saying this so you can see Sokka behind my back?'

'No. It's been a week since I last went. I've got to do this soon enough ok.'

'Alright.' He nodded, thin lipped and looked back down to his dagger. Katara stood up and ruffled his dark hair, she knew that it was wrong for her to form attachments, but she couldn't help it. She knew him so well now.

She bit back tears and frowned, she shouldn't be _that_ upset. Jian would always be the enemy, even if he was her friend.

She wandered off and walked leisurely back to the Gunners Fold, knowing she had all day to get to the castle. The sun was barely beginning to rise and she savoured the cool air, or at least the coolest the Fire Nation had to offer. A soft breeze blew past and ruffled her loose hair. A smile crept across her lips.

She decided to dress differently this time. The white powder encased her head to toe, the golden contacts still tinged her vision and the black clothes still stuck to her skin. But this time she wore a white summer dress over it all in an attempt to cover herself after (and before) her visit. She wore her hair loose, her usual braid was too complex for her to hazard a try at and she wanted to have a stroll through the city instead of running.

oOo

Her stroll through the city was fun. It was only midday so she took her time and stopped for lunch in a small teashop off the main street. The streets were teeming with life, and it made Katara sad to see so many people able to continue where she couldn't and live how she couldn't. Her heart went out to all the people who didn't have enough money to live or who were treated like animals at their jobs, but she felt like there needed to be some sympathy for _her._ Yes no one knew what she had gone through, but she wanted some respect from people for the sacrifices she'd made, instead of the leers she was receiving from some not-so-savoury men.

She glared straight back and continued walking, determined not to lose her free time. She was almost at the castle and it was still a few hours to sunset, so she sat down leaning against a large oak tree, wondering what to do next.

The shade was welcome and a cool breeze blew through her hair. Time went rather quickly and before she knew it, her meditation time was over and the sun was setting in the sky. Checking that no one else was looking, she slipped off her summer dress and climbed the tree so she could leave it high up in the branches.

Katara pulled two needle sharp hair pins out of her clothes and twisted her hair into a tight bun. She snuck around the back of the Palace and used her footholds to lift herself over the wall in a fairly routine fashion.

She tapped her belt to make sure she was armed, and that her canteen was there. Even though she didn't want to get caught bending, she wasn't going to take any chances. A quick circuit of the castle showed that Prince Zuko wasn't waiting for her, so she made her way back to the little garden they had met before. Katara smiled at the irony, without meaning to, he had shown her where the best entrance to the Palace was.

She hoisted herself up the tree and looked down at the amazing view, if she angled her body to the left she could see over the wall and into the lantern lit city below. The sight truly took her breath away. She stood there for a moment, clinging to the tree and taking in her dream of freedom that the view seemed to radiate. Then she shook her head.

'I have a job to do.' But just what that job was, Katara didn't know. She didn't know why she had returned so often and why she was so determined to get caught again tonight.

She tiptoed across the branch that reached out to a balcony and hopped through the air onto the railing. The doors into the room were open and she frowned. Wouldn't they be on alert? All doors locked?

Katara ran over to the edge of the balcony and pushed on the window that was less than a meter away from it. It swung inwards and she squinted through the darkness before standing precariously on the railing and jumping.

Her body jolted when her fingers made contact with the sill and she hissed. She hoisted herself up and through the window into the darkened room. The door to the bedroom was closed and she sat on the floor for a moment deliberating how to go about the 'recon'.

The door opened. Katara froze and shuffled back into the corner, hoping the darkness would hide her. Prince Zuko walked into the room in his _underwear_ and Katara couldn't help it. She blushed and a small strangled 'eep' escaped her lips. Unluckily, what with the Fire Nation being rather hot, their citizen's underwear was always fairly, um, skimpy.

Prince Zuko whirled to face her and his eyes widened in shock. Then he looked down, remembered his state of undress, and _blushed,_ his usually fair skin turning an unflattering shade of scarlet_. _He grabbed a robe from the back of the door and glared at her.

'How did you get in without me seeing you?'

Katara swallowed and tried to find her voice. 'The balcony looked like an invitation, so I found a different entrance.'

He nodded thoughtfully and she continued to sit.

A frown crossed Katara's face. 'If you knew I was coming then why aren't you...' She trailed off and a violent blush graced her skin.

'Why aren't I...?'

'Dressed.' She finished.

'I expected you later, you always came around midnight.'

'I'm, uh, full of surprises. So are you, that's girly underwear.' She clapped a hand over her mouth. The teasing had come from years of relentless and merciless witty banter with Sokka, it had simply slipped out. She felt shocked at her behaviour and she slowly withdrew her hand form her mouth to apologise. She looked up at him, and burst out laughing at his outraged expression.

'How dare you!'

Prince Zuko's anger seemed to grow as Katara giggled and he unconsciously clenched his fists. She stopped abruptly when they began to glow red.

'Ok. I'll stop.' She bent at the waist. 'My formal apologies for my inappropriate comments, My Lord, as well as your inappropriate attire.' He blushed and she flashed him a smile. 'Now, let's get down to business.'

'And what business is that?' He asked, having regained his composure.

'I'm here to kill you.'

'You've had several chances, all I've noticed is you giggling. If this is the assassin they send then they _really _underestimate me.'

'Oh they don't want you dead. They want me dead.' She clapped her hand over her mouth for a second time that night. Somehow what she had said hadn't crossed her mind, and now it seemed completely _plausible_.

'Why do they want you dead?'

'Because I'm a liability I guess. I hold them back despite my talents.'

'Because of the giggling?'

'No! Because I don't want to be part of the stupid fold.' Katara blinked several times, trying to undo what she had just said. She could see his lips forming another question, but she couldn't hear him. 'Shh.'

'Did you just tell the Prince of the Fire Nation to 'Shh'?'

'Yes. Shut up.' He glared at her but did as she said. 'I never said any of that ok? I'm going and this never happened.'

'I can't let you go.'

'What?'

'You're here to kill me, you admitted it. So I have to tie you up.'

Her eyes hardened and she kicked out at him, sending her foot straight into his stomach so that he flew across the room and hit the wall. 'I'm afraid that isn't an option.' She clubbed him over the head with one of her daggers and immediately healed the wound, guilt gnawing at her insides. His body was heavy, she knew that from last time, so she dragged him as far as the bed and tucked him in so he would just look like he was asleep, which, for all the world he was. A slight snore rumbled out of him as she slipped out through the door.

The inside of the Palace wasn't very splendid. The corridors were unlit and dark and it was simple flagstone walls and floors. Nothing to make it warm and homely, it felt like a castle that had become a prison.

She found a secluded set of stairs and moseyed down them, taking her own time because she knew it was too late for anyone civilised to be awake. A smile graced Katara's lips when she reached the front doors. _They _were certainly splendid. She grinned at the thought of walking out like she was a visiting noblewoman and swept away, towards the nearest open window. The castle would never be anything more than a prison to her, because every time she was inside it there was the chance she would never leave. And Katara knew the odds.

They weren't great.

**Hey guys! Thanks for all the favourites and alerts – I'm glad you like my writing :) Do you like my front cover? It took me an hour to get the size right :P But I think it was worth it because it looks pretty cool. To see the full size there's a link on my profile.**

**If I'd named this chapter it would be called 'she knew the odds' just to let you know.**

**I'm going to strike a deal with all of you ;] If I get 30 reviews total then I will add an extra chapter that I'm deliberating on whether or not to include. It can be my deleted scene. When I hit 30 I'll upload for you :)**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: In an imaginary world, where I **_**do **_**own ATLA, it has just been taken from me by my imaginary husbands imaginary divorce lawyer. Sorry guys!**

_Chapter Eight_

Katara sighed and buried her head in her hands, Jian was back with a face that said that things _still _weren't going well for her.

'What is it this time?' She asked, her voice muffled by her palm which she had placed across her mouth.

'The Gunner's Lead. They, er, well they want you to meet with them.'

'And I can guess from your tone of voice that this doesn't happen often huh Jian.' She muttered, her face lifting slightly to cast him an accusing glare.

'Katara, nothing concerning you happens often, or ever for that matter.'

Katara head dropped back into her lap. 'That's why I hate it here.'

oOo

Prince Zuko awoke on alert. He jumped up the second he regained consciousness and smacked his head on one of the posts of the bed which caused him to flop straight back down like a fish. He sat up this time and looked about, the sun was far past rising and she had obviously gone.

He went to his window, locked. And the bathroom window? Locked. _So how did she get out? _His eyes grew wide as it dawned on him that the assassin had gone gallivanting through the castle. He was still in the bathroom so he glanced in the mirror to the stop where he distinctly remembered her clubbing him. For some reason, when you're in danger you see a lot more detail. He remembered the fear he felt when he saw the blade and then the relief as it spun on her fingers so that the hilt was pointing toward him. It was a beautiful dagger, definitely Earth Kingdom. The hilt had little clusters of red gems, rubies he guessed, and a small little rat engraved into the very tip. He glanced in the mirror and did a double take. One side of his face was caked in splodges of blood, it had dried in the ridges of his scar and it looked _terrible._ No mercy.

He grunted and washed his face twice with warm water so that most of the blood washed away. He turned his head to where the cut should have been, to where she had hit him. There was nothing, no blood, no cut, no bruise. Had she poured her own blood on him for some sick reason? Was the cut somewhere else on his face? He frowned and began to search his face in the mirror.

oOo

Katara bowed her head and rather than facing her fears, she left it bowed and stared at the grain-wood flooring.

'Katara, needless to say, this is a huge job here. So we want a progress report every month until the contract is complete.'

'Of course sir.' She murmured, unsure which Gunner she was addressing.

The voice reached a squeaky decibel and she linked it to the First Gunner. 'So give us a report.'

'Um, well I've been training with some masters to prepare for the encounter in case it comes down to a battle. My plan doesn't include that scenario but I want to be fully prepared. I've also been to the castle once to do some reconnaissance. I know the general layout of the castle and which floor the royal family sleeps on, specifically I know how to reach Prince Zuko's room from both inside and outside.'

She looked up at the Gunners Lead who were all rather silent. 'That is,' The Third Gunner paused. 'Impressive to say in the least.'

'Thank you.'

'How did you find his rooms?'

'I found two entrances into the castle from the outside so I climbed them without entering and had a look inside the rooms; one lead to a, er, study and the other to the balcony outside Prince Zuko's bedroom.'

'Well I am satisfied with your progress. I will call this meeting to an end so that I may indulge myself in some Jasmine tea with the Second Gunner here.'

'Of course, sir.'

Katara started at the Second Gunners voice, it was _familiar._

She half ran to the door, inclined her head hastily and freed herself before she showed any larger signs of recognition. She waited halfway down an intersection for the First Gunner to exit the room and then ran back to the door.

'Tea?'

'Please.'

'For an unwilling Gunner Katara is certainly impressive.'

Katara pressed her ear closer to the door, determined to hear the Second Gunner's voice clearly so she could put a name to it. 'Certainly, I did not expect her to take so well to it, Third.'

'Please, Second we're alone you may call me by my name not my title.'

'I have a concern Iroh.'

'And what is that?'

'Can I ask you a question first?'

'Certainly.'

'Why did you give Katara your nephews bounty? You cannot be Fire Lord and nor can Lu Ten, so what is there to gain from this?'

'One of our Gunners accepted the bounty, there is nothing against killing royalty and if I retract it then people may learn my identity. So I set Katara in a suicide mission. She is new, she is untrained and she has something special that I can use as an excuse. I want her to get caught so that Zuko will be careful and we can refuse other bounties on his head, saying that the last time was a disaster.'

'So, we're setting her up?'

'I hate to do it but someone must get hurt and it can't be my nephew. There is a chance she will kill him, I have made nothing unfair, I will act as though I am unbiased and give each of them a chance, but really. What can I do?'

'Not a lot I suppose Iroh.'

'So what is this concern then?

The Second Gunner sighed. 'I think Katara recognised my voice.'

'_What?'_

'I know, it's bad.' From the pause in her voice, Katara guessed she had winced.

'It's worse than bad June, if she knows your identity then we cannot dispose of her, or use her as easily as we would like.'

Katara sucked in a breath as she linked her friend from the bar to the Second Gunner. Their voices _were _similar, but yet so different in the tones that she heard. The woman in the bar was sultry and warm, the Second Gunner was just cold around her. Like ice.

'Did you hear that?'

Katara clapped a hand over her mouth so she couldn't gasp again at the Third Gunner's exceptional hearing. She glanced about, there was nowhere to hide, at least not quickly; all of the corridors were long and well lit in every direction.

'Hear what?'

Katara panicked, there were footsteps that were getting closer to the door with every second.

'Someone's out there, and I think they were _listening._'

The door snapped open and the Third Gunner stood, large, looming and tall, staring disapprovingly into the space where Katara had stood just a moment ago. He glanced down each intersection of corridors and then re entered the room.

'It must have been a servant in passing.'

Katara sighed from her crouching position atop a beam in the ceiling, even if he had glanced up, he wouldn't have seen her. Katara smiled, somewhat evilly, she had just found a new, _secret_, mode of transport.

She slipped down and wandered back to her rooms, intent upon practising some more risky skills than what Jian had taught her. Well, in the sense that, this would be real. With Jian it was practically play fighting. What did he call it? Sparring. Katara smiled at that word, it seemed that everything that everyone did in the Gunners Fold had to be masculine and deadly, at least in dialogue.

oOo

Katara was beginning to love her time outside, of course she felt more freedom than in the Gunner's Fold, and she felt safer – which isn't saying much because normally she was surrounded by assassins. But somehow everything just felt _right _like even when she did something wrong she could redeem herself quickly as long as there were no assassins nearby.

A man walked past with a large basket of mangoes balanced on his head. Katara slipped through the shadows so that she was ahead of him and when he walked past she plucked a mango from the basket. Smiling at not being caught, she then endeavoured to return it to the same effect. It was an idea of Jian's even if he didn't fully know. He had told her that every assassin needs every skill and 'what if your mark has something you want to read? Or they suspect you?' Then you have to have a means to check.

This was her practise but the mango was far too easy.

She walked into a tea shop that advertised '_A Flavour for every Mood!' _Katara smiled thinly, she doubted it.

'Hello miss, would you like a table?'

'Oh no, I won't be long, just seat me at the counter.'

The tall, slim waiter looked at her in a way that suggested he was measuring her up. Katara resisted the urge to glare at him, as he was obviously wondering what kind of woman would sit at the bar.

'The kind that drinks all night.' She replied to his unspoken question. He blushed violently and offered his hand to lead her to the counter. She waved him away. 'I can walk by myself.'

Katara settled herself on the stool closest to the till and flashed a smile at the man behind the counter who was making several cups of tea.

'Can I take your order miss?' A small Earth Kingdom girl looked to Katara who selected from the menu randomly. 'Brilliant!'

'What?'

'Our slogan, a tea for every mood. Obviously you're happy.'

'Ecstatic.' Katara replied monotonously.

She girl bounced away and came back with a steaming cup of Peppermint Tea and a plate of small round biscuits. Katara took a sip of the tea and instantly regretted it, she was definitely unhappy because that tea tasted like someone had done something unspeakable to it.

The till was directly in front of her so she pulled out a toothpick sized blade and used it to unpick the latch that held the drawer back. It sprung forward and she sighed in thanks because it had been silent, obviously someone oiled it regularly and for that she was thankful.

She slipped a few coins from the drawer and slid them into her pocket before closing it shut. The man behind the counter looked up at her and she grinned widely at him and at his suspicion.

The girl came back and Katara handed her the money for the bill and a tip the same size as what she had taken.

'Gosh, thanks!' She smiled vibrantly and Katara frowned as she imagined the girls' lips splitting the sides of her face with such a gigantic grin.

'Think nothing of it.'

oOo

The road home was long and Katara knew that she couldn't bother with it. The night was hot on her heels so she stopped at the nearest inn and bought a room for the night.

She went up and was settling into the bed when she realised where she was. It was the inn she and Sokka used to go to when they had first arrived at the Fire Nation. It was a small pokey inn, but money had been short and they desperately needed somewhere to live.

Katara fell asleep, comforted by the familiar surroundings and she slept soundly.

A hand closed around her throat and her eyes opened instantly. The golden eyes that held her captive stared back furiously and the hand did not loosen its grip.

'I told you that you were not to try and make contact.'

Katara flailed but couldn't answer because there wasn't enough oxygen.

'If you try again I will wait for your brother's wife to give birth and then I shall kill his wife and child in front of him. Keep your distance.'

The hand released her throat and Katara rubbed it absentmindedly as she watched Mai disappear out the window. Mai would be watching her more closely now and she knew that was going to slow her down.

'I better get a move on.' She whispered to herself and skipped out the window after Mai.

oOo

'Katara, I have organised an opportunity for you to explore the castle more closely.'

'Thank you Second Gunner.'

'You will become a servant within the castle, we organised a commission for the death of a servant for this so do _not_ lose focus. The Gunner's Lead does not organise commissions often.'

Katara nodded, unsure of what to say. She knew that this held the risk of Prince Zuko recognising her, but that was only if he saw her she reasoned.

'Here is the uniform,' She gestured for a servant who hid in the doorway to step forward. 'and your first day is tomorrow, I suggest you find a place in the city to live so that you don't have to walk across the entire Fire Nation every day.'

'Of course Ma'am.' Katara took the clothes and bowed as the Second Gunner left. She put them on and marvelled at how little coordination the Fire Nation showed in clothing. The shirt was not a shirt, it was more a top half. It covered the necessary areas but left her stomach on show, it was plain black with red hemming that was quite unflattering. The trousers were plain black and fanned out near the bottom, only to move straight back in again to hug her ankles.

She looked like a genie.

'Katara, I-' Jian walked in and paused at the sight of her. 'What are you wearing?'

'It's the uniform for servants at the Palace, I've got a job.'

'Well, er, I, um. It's very inappropriate.'

'Tell that to Ozai.'

Right. Ok. Well, you should be going then.' A reddish tint shaded his dark cheeks and Katara started at the thought of him, _enjoying_ the view? She blushed violently and hurried out the room with a heavy jacket to cover herself while she was in the street, even if it was swelteringly hot.

She was carrying a small suitcase that held her few belongings, a couple of 'sneak suits', an extra servant outfit and a whole load of weaponry. It jangled slightly as she walked, and she winced every time it did.

The Fire Nation was riddled with inns and Katara stopped at a low end one as close to the Fire Nation Palace as possible. It was still a good half hours walk away but the nearer inns were not places that a servant could live in without raising some questions about the level of their pay. The man who ran it had a permanent glare in his eyes and Katara thrust the money into his hands quickly, paying for the whole month. Dropping off her case and coat in the rooms, Katara decided to conceal only a few small weapons on her person and left them fairly quickly.

She was rewarded with a not-so-friendly leer from the innkeeper in her uncovered state and she shuddered at the thought of passing him twice every day.

oOo

'Hello?' Katara called to a guard that stood sentry to the Palace gates. 'I'm a new servant here, this is my first day – I don't suppose you could tell me where to go?'

'Sure, I can see you're not Fire Nation, nut you'll have to tie your hair back, it's just the rules here.'

'Ok.'

'So you just go in through those gates over there and it'll lead to this room where there should be someone to help you.'

'Thank you, my name's Katara by the way.'

'Rory.'

Katara ran off a little way south, towards the servants gate and entered. The pathway was dark and unkempt, an obvious show that she didn't have to be impressed because she was just dirt as far as the Fire Lord was concerned. A little cabin just off the path beckoned her and she stepped inside, securing her hair tightly to her scalp in a ponytail.

'What is your name?'

'Katara.'

'Oh, of course. Here are your cuffs.' A man stepped out of the shadows and handed her to wristband-type objects. They were made of metal and had hinges on one side. The red and gold design drew her attention and she looked at the emblem in the middle.

'What do the two fires mean?'

'That you are the servant of Prince Zuko.'

Her eyes widened in disbelief and she snapped them onto her forearms.

'You are to bring him his meals three times a day, clean his chambers and send his laundry to the servants who wash the clothing. Today you will be followed by a guard who will help you find your way. Learn it.'

'Do I have to find a guard or..?' Katara trailed off, unsure.

'Just take one of the ones on duty outside the Palace. There are normally about five of them anyway. Off you go.'

'But, I still don't know-' Katara broke off, the man had left and she knew she was no longer of importance to him.

She walked out of the grounds and back to where Rory was and he grinned as he saw her. 'Wow, you're Prince Zuko's servant?'

'Yeah,' Katara sighed. 'I guess this job just got harder.'

Rory grinned at her and she couldn't help but flash him her own smile. 'So I guess you'll be needing a guide.'

'Is that an offer? Because I would love for you to come with me Rory.'

They grinned and walked off to the servants entrance together. 'So where to first?'

'The kitchens, I have to get Prince Zuko his breakfast.'

**Yes that's right! Iroh is the Third Gunner and essentially the leader of the Gunners Lead! Bet you didn't see that coming? I want to point out that in ATLA before Lu Ten's death Iroh was waging war and was probably quite similar to Ozai. I decided that it would be very possible for him to be the Leader of the Gunner's Fold.**

**Did you get caught with my little one sentence trick?**

'The door snapped open and the Third Gunner stood, large, looming and tall, staring disapprovingly into the space where Katara..'

**I hope I got someone! Review and tell me if I had you for a second.. :D**


	10. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer: If ATLA were mine there would be a series of trashy shows about what they did after the war. It would have been awesome.**

_Chapter Nine_

The kitchens were huge, hot and incredibly busy. Rory led Katara through stoically and stopped before a large woman wearing white. Katara flashed her a smile, expecting that the cook would receive her warmly, it was something to do with the prejudice that overweight people were jolly and kind. The woman glared at her instead.

'Massa where is Luli?' Rory sounded angry at Massa and Katara had to wonder why.

'Eh, she's over there.' The woman gestured blindly and then thundered away.

'RORY!' A high pitched squeal followed and a tiny blur of red bashed straight into him. Katara forced herself not to act, because her base impulse was to rescue Rory from whatever creature was attacking him.

She turned to face them and realised that it was a little girl, who had latched onto his body in a fierce hug.

'I never see you enough Rory. Where have you been?'

'Around. Luli, this is Katara.' Luli let go of Rory and turned to face Katara. She was tiny, no more than 5 foot 2. Her dark hair was tied back in a high ponytail that reached down her back and swished when she turned. She looked her up and down with brown eyes and smiled.

'Hello.'

'Hi.'

'You're new around here aren't you Katara, that's why you've got my brother in tow. Whose servant are you then?'

'Prince Zuko's.' Katara took the information from Luli and shoved to the back of her mind in case it ever became relevant. She didn't look like Rory. He'd taken off his helmet, he couldn't really keep it on with the extreme heat of the kitchens. Rory had fair skin where Luli's was dark, his hair was lighter and imposing height was an obvious difference. The only similarity was in their eyes which had a reddish tint to the brown that Katara had never seen before.

'Ooooh unlucky! He's the worst! I've been doing all his chores while we've been waiting for you. Go on Rory go away, I'll take Katara around.'

'Shouldn't you be cooking?' He looked a little put out when she shooed him away, but he marched stiffly into the corridor.

'So it's still early, but we should get him his breakfast now because Prince Zuko is normally an early riser.'

'Normally?'

'Well, recently he hasn't been getting up early, I don't know if it's some late nights practising fire bending or something but hey, I'm not complaining.'

Katara smiled at Luli's jubilance, and at how Prince Zuko had obviously been feeling the effects of waiting for her.

'Ok, so here's his breakfast, you can pick it up from me every morning. You need to go in and leave it on the desk, open the curtains too. Then you fill the bath for him and leave. He can warm it himself but you're the servant so you have to do it.'

'How do I warm it?'

'There's a fireplace in his room, stick a poker in the flame and then stick that in the bath.'

'Isn't that dangerous?'

'Yes, but it's the only way I worked out. There's probably another way too.'

'I guess. Thanks for the help by the way.'

'You're welcome.' Luli beamed. 'I really like making new friends!'

Katara smiled down at the small girl, she was so full of life it was refreshing after the doom and gloom of the Gunners Fold.

'I like you more than other people already.'

'Why is that?' Katara laughed.

'I'm practically the same height as you!' She giggled.

'No I'm not! I'm 5 foot 4, you're 5 foot' She trailed off, 'something...'

'5,2. Besides you know that everyone here is super tall, so we're practically exactly the same round here.'

'Right.'

'So here's his room, you remember what to do? I'll wait outside. Make sure to knock!'

Katara stepped up and knocked gently on the door, she turned around to see that Luli had disappeared and turned back to see an angry Prince glaring at her. She stepped back in shock and his glare grew.

'What?'

'I'm your, your new servant sir. I have your b-b-breakfast here.' She simpered quietly, trying to sound meek and scared like a servant who had done something wrong. His glare turned into a frown and he stepped back.

'Just put it down there.'

Katara nodded and deposited her load onto the desk. Keeping her head down, she opened the curtains and hurried into the bathroom where she ran his bath. The fire place was empty and Katara hesitated with indecision as to how to heat it.

'What's wrong?'

'I was instructed to heat your bath with the poker from the fire place sir.'

Zuko looked at the girl curiously, her nerves seemed to have disappeared but she still refused to look at him. 'I'll do it.'

She nodded and walked out the room.

The door shut and Katara leaned against, glad of it holding up her weight. She was so tired already, tired of having to hide herself away and tired of having to be someone else to kill someone else. _He seemed so nice._

Luli appeared from around the corner, chewing on a moon peach. 'Wow, he didn't yell or anything. What did you do that I didn't?'

'He shouted at you?'

'Only when I told him that his last servant was being replaced by me, and when I got cinders in his bath.'

'Oh.'

'I got cinders in the bath the first few times actually, I'm surprised you didn't.'

'He heated it for me.'

Luli stopped and stared at Katara. 'He never did that for me! And I'm so cute and adorable! That's _so _unfair!' Her eyes suddenly became small and squinty. 'Maybe he's height-ist.' She hissed.

Katara laughed and they carried on walking.

'So what do I do until lunch time?'

'Hah! That's a new one! Once you've eaten, you've got to go back there and put out some clothes for him. Then you have to clean his floors.'

'Oh. So I'll be spending most my day there?'

'Yeah.' Luli smiled. 'But don't worry; your break times for food will be great because I will cook for you. And I'm a brilliant cook. But today, because I'm following you, we'll eat with the rest of the servants.'

'So what do you do in the castle Luli?'

'I'm just a serving girl. Because of my height, I'm not really suited to a lot of jobs but Rory begged the servants master to give me one so I live here, I serve food at gatherings and I clean the kitchen when I have nothing to do.'

'Cool.' Katara grinned at her and Luli pulled open the door that led to the kitchens.

'We've got to eat quickly because we only have that it takes Prince Zuko to eat and bathe. By that time his clothes have to be laid out and you have to have cleaned the floors and stripped the bed.'

'Ok, let's eat anyway I'm starving.'

Luli grabbed some white rolls from a steaming tray and piled them into Katara's arms. The rolls were warm and delicious, with little bits of meat inside. They managed three each before Luli skipped off again. She came back with two more rolls, one each. These were sweeter and covered in a sticky icing that Katara had to lick off her fingers. She licked her lips, chasing loose crumbs and then flashed a hopeful look at Luli.

'Sorry Katara, I swiped those from the lunch rush. It's a treat for today and rarely, barely, practically never again.'

Katara sighed and then smiled slightly at the thought of her brain being a little more like her brothers than she had realised. 'Alright, I better go sort out Prince Zuko now.'

'I'll take you back there. –Oh wait! We need a bucket of water!'

They walked through the servants corridors, they were plain, with wooden floors and walls. Luli chattered on about her family and her friends that she already had at the Palace.

'Of course, lots of them are always off on different chores outside the Palace because they are almost all guards.'

'Luli, I never knew you were such a player!' Katara giggled, making Luli blush.

'Here's Prince Zuko's room now get in there, before you embarrass me more.' She pushed Katara through the corridor so that her face was pressed against the door to his rooms.

She felt the pressure on her back disappear so Katara let herself in and quickly waterbent the water out of the bucket she'd been carrying and spread it against all of the floor so that the room had a thin layer of water covering its surface. She swirled it for a moment and then lifted all the water, compressed it and shoved it back into the bucket.

'Job done.' She smiled.

Katara stripped the bed quickly and replaced the sheets with ones in a cupboard next to it. She folded and piled the used sheets next to the door. Prince Zuko emerged from the bathroom and she heard his feet padding along the floor. Katara turned around to see he'd walked behind a dressing screen.

'Um, I didn't know what you needed to wear today sir.'

'Just some normal day clothing.'

Katara decided not to bother nodding; instead she just walked over to the drawers and flung a shirt and some trousers in his general direction.

He grunted what she thought was a thanks and threw out the towel which Katara picked up, she slipped into the bathroom, opened a window and picked up his night clothes and left quickly without him seeing her face.

The door clicked shut and Prince Zuko looked up in surprise, she'd gone.

'Hey there Katara, that was quick. I normally had to do something for at least an hour.'

'How long was I?'

'Half an hour.'

'Don't you have anything to do Luli?'

'Trying to get rid of me?' She poked Katara playfully in the ribs and suddenly made a wide gesture of pointing. 'TO THE LAUNDRY ROOMS!'

They wandered back through the servants corridors and, after several twists and turns, they reached an inlaid door that could have easily been part of the plain decor if there wasn't a slight discoloration in one corner.

'See that Katara?' Luli gestured to the dark triangle in the corner. 'That shows you that you've come to a room, then to open the door you just push on it with both hands and slide it to the left. Always the left Katara.'

Luli demonstrated as she said the instructions and the door slid open with ease to reveal a shockingly white room filled with women and large vats of steaming water.

'Mara, this is Katara. She's Prince Zuko's new servant.'

'Are those 'is clothes? Give 'em 'ere.'

She took them from Katara and resumed work, holding a hand in the air as she walked away.

'She had three fingers up, right Katara? So the clothes will be ready in three hours. You can get them later but not earlier. And just a warning, Mara may be abrupt and slightly rude, but treat her with respect because you will always know where you stand with her and she is brilliant at teaching you some Palace tricks.'

Katara nodded and they opened the door to leave, she watched it snap back quickly with a great interest but Luli's hand waving in front of her face stopped her staring.

'So now we've done that we should get Prince Zuko his lunch.'

'And ours.'

'Only if you can eat and walk.' Luli giggled.

'Sounds like I'm going to have to learn with all this work every day.'

oOo

Katara's meal sat on the tray next to Prince Zuko's. It was small in comparison. He had a delicious smelling stew with a bread roll and another plate containing a dessert that looked suspiciously blissful. She had another bread roll with meat. What had tasted so delicious that morning, suddenly tasted so, lacking. She folded the last piece of salty, meaty heaven into her mouth and knocked on his door.

It snapped open. 'You left quickly earlier.'

'I try to do my job as quickly as I can sir.'

'You forgot your bucket.'

'Oh, I will remember to take it with me from now on, I'm sorry.'

He took the tray from her hands and Katara made to leave.

'Your bucket.'

She blushed and followed him inside where she scooped up the bucket with her hand and then proceeded to try and leave.

'Wait.'

'Is there anything else sir?' Katara kept her gaze directly on the floor, hoping it would hide part of her face.

'Look up.'

'I beg your pardon?'

'I need you to look up for a moment.'

A knock on the door saved Katara and Prince Zuko strode towards the door.

'You. What?' He hissed and Katara stepped to the side to see the miniscule-in-comparison Luli stood in the doorway.

'Katara is needed elsewhere if she had completed her job here.'

He grunted and marched to his desk, with a glare he sat down and began to eat, completely ignoring both of them.

oOo

'What am I needed for?'

'You aren't.'

'Then why did you come and get me?'

'Well, I was listening at the door.' Luli grimaced. 'I remembered my time serving Prince Zuko and how hard it was so I thought that I would try and help out if he gave you any trouble. I guess I knew I could only help today, but you sounded scared, or at least panicked when he asked to see your face. I don't understand why and I won't ask you but he _will _see your face at some point Katara.'

'I know Luli, I can't help but try though.'

'Well, good luck because what Prince Zuko wants, Prince Zuko gets.'

'I know.' Katara sighed and put a hand on Luli's shoulder. 'Thank you.'

oOo

Dinner came all too quickly for Katara and she soon had to return to the rooms of Prince Zuko. She slipped in the room without knocking and put the tray down on the desk with gentle touch. She smiled, thinking it was safe and made to leave, only to have a hand grab her wrist. It was soft and incredibly warm, a better word may have been hot. She whirled around, and seeing it was Prince Zuko she rooted her eyes to the floor.

'Why won't you look at me!' He yelled and Katara flinched backwards. 'Do I _scare _you Katara?' She flinched again at his voice but he took it differently. 'Yes I know your name. Look up.'

Katara bit her tongue, so hard that a tear rolled down her cheek.

'And now you're crying. Brilliant.' He sighed in exasperation and looked back to her. 'I don't want to scare you. Do as I say and we can be civil, even _nice._' Katara looked up and let the tears fall down her face as her wrist burned from his touch, literally. 'Ok. Ok.' He relinquished her wrist and she clutched it to her chest. 'Why are you crying so much?' He looked to her wrist and his eyes widened at the burn marks that covered it. 'Wait there.' He turned around and Katara ran. She was in pain, she was scared and she decided she hated being defenceless.

Her duties had been performed for the day so she ran through the winding corridors of the palace to the servants exit. The sun beat down on her and made the burns sizzle unpleasantly. Katara didn't stop until she'd reached her inn. The cool air was welcomed and she snuck a first glance at her wrist, the skin was puckered and blistered.

'Woah there darlin' you get yerself burnt?' The inn keeper looked at her with less than concern and then grinned at the joke he said next. It wasn't a good joke, or even a joke at all. 'Shame you ain't a warterbenda 'cause then you could jus' heal it away. I 'eard they can do that.'

She glared at him as he chuckled and ran upstairs to bathe.

oOo

The cold water relaxed Katara's burns but made the rest of her body shiver. She slid into it and lay there unmoving, exhausted and ready to give up. Her body relaxed as she got used the water and, very quickly, she fell asleep.

Her dreams were riddled with fire and paralysis: the feeling that she could do absolutely nothing, she saw red for miles but there at the very edge was a small dazzling spot of blue. She ran for it, but it kept moving and she was so exhausted. Katara kept on running, across valleys of fire and blood and poppies and anything red she could think of. It was all there.

Finally she reached the blue, it was cold, familiar and soothing.

Katara woke up. The water around her was glowing, and as the glow faded she stood up.

'Mental note to self: don't fall asleep in water. It creates some freaky dreams.' Her wrist felt better but she knew it wouldn't for long so Katara searched her case for the bandages with her good arm and then sat on the bed ready to bandage herself up.

Only, the burns were gone.

_Maybe I healed them, the water was blue._

Katara fell asleep with the lingering thought of how she would explain that to Prince Zuko in the morning.

**Hey guys! Thanks for reading and thanks for the other reviews! I decided to add in Rory because I decided I wanted a new character but then I found the name Luli online I was like 'Omg that's so adorable' so I add to add Luli too. Special little fact: The name Luli actually helped me to come up with Katara's original assassin name which was meant to be Liuti (meaning fluid)**

**This story have long way to go yet, I have a pre-written plot that's about 4 pages long and I'm only just got onto the first sentence of page 2. I don't know why I told you that, maybe you wanted to know. :)**

**I wrote this chapter all today (Tuesday :D) So yeah go me! If it's not as good as usual I'm sorry but the boring parts have o happen for the good parts too. Anyways lots of meetings with Zuko so you should all be happy :)**

**Please review if you have any suggestions for anything =] I would love to have a hand and think about some new ideas. I won't say whose I take though (if any of you help me) because that's spoilerish. But yeah, I need a bit of a fill if you've got any ideas. It could be just one word like: dance. But not dance. :) Help me out!**

**Thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer: BWAAAAAAAAAAA! I'VE RUN OUT OF IDEAS! Avatar is not mine because I am named neither Mike nor Brian. Sorry.**

_Chapter Ten_

Turns out she didn't have to. Katara arrived at work the next day only to be told that she could leave after his room had been cleaned. Prince Zuko had been pulled into an emergency meeting that could last up to a week and that was all she needed to know, according to the Servants master. Katara was overjoyed. She cleaned it quickly and efficiently every day; mopping the floors, cleaning the windows and the bathroom and changing the sheets on his bed. The rest of her time was spent either relaxing or exploring the castle so that she could be more prepared for the inevitable ending.

oOo

'You know, the servants are saying that the reason all of the royalty are in meetings is because it's a war council. They think it might be one of the water tribes.'

'Why would they think that?'

'Some of them serve the wine in there.' Luli shrugged and returned to her work. 'I thought you might be interested.'

Katara nodded grimly, she was so interested she'd have to get information from the source. That wasn't something she was looking forward to.

oOo

Katara didn't leave the Palace that night; she borrowed flour from the kitchens to cover her exposed skin and slipped in the contacts that she carried with her all the time. The only thing that she'd had a problem with was the issue of clothing. She couldn't turn up in a servants outfit!

'Honestly Jai these outfits make it impossible to move properly!'

'I don't know what you mean.'

'Well, Guards are supposed to be able to run off and save the royal family at a moment's notice but how can we do that when we have to wear this heavy metal armour?'

'I guess.'

'And then there are these stupid sneak suits underneath. It makes everyday...'

Katara didn't hear the rest as the guards moved out of earshot, but she'd heard more than enough. Now she just needed to find a sneak suit by nightfall.

Turns out it was incredibly simple. Nobody gave Katara a second glance; she was just a Fire Nation servant, so she made it to the Guard house quickly and easily. Inside there were three guards and she stopped at the one nearest to her age and smiled sweetly.

'Hi, um, I've been sent by a guard to get one of the black suits that go under armour for her.'

'Why does she need one?'

'Um, well the woman had an accident of some kind.'

The man laughed and into another room.

'Don't you need a measurement?'

'No, they stretch so it's one fits all.' He emerged with the suit and flashed her a wink.

Katara took it and stepped away. 'Well, she needs this so I'll be going now.'

'Feel free to stop back any time.' He grinned and Katara skipped out with a small blush on her cheeks. Job done.

She 'sneak suit' was skin tight and actually rather uncomfortable. Katara hadn't heard what the guard had said but she guessed it was something to do with the unbearable heat that overwhelmed her senses. She sat in the servants bathrooms, hugging her knees, for the rest of the working hours. By that time most of the servants had gone to sleep and Katara was left alone in the cubicled room, night – or at least darkness – hadn't quite happened and Katara cursed the daylight hours in the Fire Nation.

oOo

When darkness finally fell, Katara had several cramps in several places from sitting in the small cubicle for at least an hour and a half. She stretched widely and her smile flashed in the darkness. It was time to find out what kind of danger the water tribe was in. She frowned; _do I really want to see him again? _Then shook her head, she had no choice. Katara squirmed uncomfortably and ran out the room.

Her journey through the Palace was uninterrupted, it turned out The Second Gunner – June – had been right to give her the job; she had learnt all of the convoluted passages of the Palace in a matter of weeks.

Prince Zuko's door had a thin shaft of light filtering through the cracks around it. Katara smiled, it was good he was still awake; she didn't want to _disturb _him. The door clicked open loudly and Katara whipped a blade out of her belt for when Prince Zuko appeared. Only he didn't. She frowned, sheathed the belt and walked deeper into the bedroom; Prince Zuko was sat on the bed, obviously exhausted.

'You.' He managed and lunged half-heartedly.

Katara stepped back and tutted at the state of him. 'You've let yourself go.' He growled but Katara ignored him and continued. 'Now we can both see you're tired, beyond tired in fact, I think I could say shattered, it would be much more appropriate. So that means that I have you at a disadvantage, it's in your best interests to answer my questions.'

Prince Zuko grunted from the floor and whilst Katara took pity she knew she couldn't let her icy exterior fail.

'I am not royalty Prince Zuko, so while it is a lovely gesture for you to bow to me it really isn't necessary.'

This time it was definitely more of a growl and he hoisted him up with obvious difficulty.

'Right, so now that you're vertical I'll cut to the chase. These meetings you've been having, rumour has it they are war meetings. Is there any truth to those rumours?'

'How, how do you know that there have been meetings?' The effort to talk practically made him collapse.

'I wouldn't waste your words on questions Prince Zuko, and instead use them on answers. Is there any truth to the rumours?'

'No.' He whispered it, like it pained him.

'What kind of meetings are they then?'

'Just boring meetings,' he paused for breath, 'to determine things about generals estates.'

Katara smiled. 'I'm glad to hear it.'

He glared at her from his position and Katara pushed him over so he fell on the bed.

'Now, I'm guessing you're tired from staying awake waiting for me. Maybe you should stop because this will be my last visit for at least a month. I'll tell you what. I'll send you a warning.' She grinned and walked away. 'Thank you for the information your highness.'

oOo

Her freedom from work ended quickly.

Katara had just sunk her teeth into one of Luli's stunning cooking creations when the girl decided to ruin her good mood.

'You seem to have been on a high this week.'

'Well, I get to lie in, work a little and then leave Luli. So this week has been lovely.'

'Today's the last day on the meetings.'

Katara groaned. 'Don't say that.'

'It's true though.'

'You're raining on my parade. I may be water tribe but parades do not need the water, they do just fine on their own.'

'Katara, face it and face him. Either that or you have to quit.'

'Yeah, I know.' Katara sighed and continued to chew on her lunch, albeit with much less enthusiasm.

oOo

Katara's second Monday morning on the job was filled with hope when she saw Prince Zuko's empty bed. She sighed, smiled and picked up her bucket to fill in the bathroom. She wasn't technically meant to, but the pipes in there had a special pumping system that allowed her to get it and carry it a mere five meters to where she needed to be.

The bucket sloshed with water and she walked into the main room.

'You seem to have gotten comfortable.' The voice was startling and caused Katara to squeal, jump and turn all at the same time, which caused the water in the bucket to go flying. Instinct took over and the water froze in the air, but a moment later Katara's eyes fell on Prince Zuko and the water fell with a crash. His eyes widened and he stared at her. Then at her wrist.

'I won't caution you for acting out of protocol because you're a new servant and, and...' He trailed off and stared at her wrist again. 'and I _thought _I'd burnt you.'

'I, er, it healed through the week and, I'm, er, wearing makeup over it.'

Prince Zuko's eyes lit with interest. 'Can you show me?'

'What?'

'Wash it off.'

'Sire, you have just seen me pour all of my water on the floor and pointed out that I should not be using your plumbing system so I would have to decline as it is not proper protocol.'

He glared at her and marched over to the desk where he produced some ink and a notepad.

Katara sighed at the mess and produced her mop; all it did was move the water. She glanced over at Prince Zuko who seemed to be engrossed in whatever he was doing with the notepad so Katara quietly bent most of the water in to the bucket. She opened some curtains and bowed to him.

'The rest of the water should dry soon sir, should I get towels or leave it to dry naturally?'

'Leave it. Come back with my lunch now.'

Katara ran through the corridors.

'I need his lunch now.'

'WHAT?'

'Luli, he asked for it _now_.'

'But it's not ready! It hasn't even been started yet!'

'Well I need _something_.'

Luli piled some fruit and a few sweet rolls onto a tray. 'Tell him we've just started his lunch and here's something to tide him over.' She turned around. 'MASSA! PRINCE ZUKO WANTS HIS LUNCH NOW!'

Katara exited quickly, certain she didn't want to see the chaos that would definitely ensue.

oOo

'I have some fruit and buns for you sir, the cooks have just begun making your lunch.' Katara set the tray before him and turned to leave.

'Wait. They sent me moon peaches, I can't stand moon peaches.'

Katara stopped, amazed at the impudence of the Prince, any fruit will do when you're poor, hell any food at all. 'I'm sorry sir, should I take them back to the kitchens?'

'Why don't you eat one?'

'Sorry?'

'It isn't very honourable to burn a woman and not apologise in some way or form.'

'And so my apology is a moon peach?' Katara clapped a hand over her mouth for the sarcastic comment.

'No.' He sounded angry. 'Your apology is lunch with me and this.'

Katara turned around to have a bottle of cream thrust into her hands.

'It's a burn cream to help you out with the pain.'

Katara softened. 'No disrespect, but don't _you _need it?'

He stilled and shook his head. 'Not anymore.'

'Well, I don't want to take an expensive cream from you sir.'

'It's a gift.'

'I, I don't need it.'

'What?'

'I know a waterbender, he healed it for me.'

'You told me it was covered with makeup. You lied to the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.'

'I was worried sir, because there is no protocol upon how to address a punishment. I wasn't sure if I was _allowed _to heal the burns.'

Astonishment was the only word to describe Prince Zuko's facial expression. 'You really think I am that dishonourable?' He frowned. 'Nevertheless, I still burnt you and if I can't apologise then I must regain my honour by other means.'

'No honour was lost sir; please let me return to my job.'

He growled at her persistence. 'Go.'

Katara hurried out and winced as the door slammed behind her.

Prince Zuko hadn't shown any reaction, but he had gotten a brilliant look at the servants face during their meeting. She looked incredibly similar to a certain late night prowler who had failed to show up recently; looks like his newest servant was a murderer in disguise.

oOo

'Katara!' A voice hissed at her from the window and she sprung up, grabbing knives from the canopy above her head. 'Katara!' She dropped the knives and sighed in relief, it was just Jian.

'God Jian, you scared me.'

'Let me in dammit!'

'Really? A master assassin has been stopped by a pane of glass?' Katara laughed and swung the window open.

'It isn't funny.' Jian swung through the window and looked around. 'This doesn't look safe.'

'It isn't _meant _to.'

Jian stepped forward and his foot hit the trick board. Katara crashed into him as it snapped up and sent poisonous darts flying to where he had previously stood.

'How many of _those _do you have lying around?'

'That's the only floorboard, but for your own safety, I wouldn't touch stuff.' Katara got up and brushed herself off. 'Honestly, be careful!'

Jian moved into a sitting position and looked at her thoughtfully.

'Wait a minute, Jian what are you doing here?'

'Checking you're ok. I don't want you to get hurt Katara.'

She rolled her eyes; Katara didn't need friends, especially in the Gunners Fold. 'I don't need a babysitter Jian. _Please _just go home.'

Rejection seemed to feature in Jian's eyes, but Katara shook it away. She shouldn't care and she was probably wrong. 'Just get out.' He cast her a glance and ran off over roof tops, Katara watched for a moment and returned to bed.

_How dare he try to guilt trip me! I have nothing to apologise for! He's a Gunner for God's sake!_

oOo

Prince Zuko had requested a small stew with bread for breakfast. Luli handed it to Katara on a silver platter and she stared at it angrily. She wanted out and quickly, that was something that her meeting with Jian had enforced.

Katara looked around and poured a small vial of powder into his stew and stirred it around, she added a drop of clear liquid to the water and then entered his rooms. She set it down on the desk and went about her daily work. Prince Zuko sat down and she froze as she saw some stew pass his lips. That was it. It was done.

She picked up her bucket, ready to leave.

'Servant. Let me carry that for you.'

'Is that appropriate?'

'Put it down. From now on you can fill and empty your bucket in my bathroom; that should be a sufficient apology.'

Prince Zuko picked up the bucket and followed Katara to the bathroom. He faked slipping on the rug and poured the water down her body, expecting make up to wash away and a Fire Nation assassin to be left behind. Except, it was still Katara. Prince Zuko's face went scarlet with embarrassment and Katara's lips formed a silent 'O' of shock.

She hurried out the room, not even bothering to listen to his protests because she was certain that her already revealing shirt had just become see-through.

'STOP.' He followed her out the room and round the corner. 'I can dry your clothes.' As he watched a stream of water extricated itself from Katara's clothes and followed her arm in a looping motion that left it inside a flower vase.

'She's a bender.' _And a water one, she can't be Fire Nation. She can't be the assassin at all. _Of course none of that mattered, because the poisons were about to enter Prince Zuko's blood stream.

oOo

The next morning brought a cheery Katara to Prince Zuko's rooms. He lay in bed and she walked over, acting as a concerned servant.

'Sir, are you alright?'

'I need water.' Katara jumped when he replied, she was so certain it was done.

'Are you ill sir?'

'I,' he came down with a bout of violent coughs, 'don't know. Firebenders don't get sick.'

'Well, obviously they do sir.'

He opened his mouth to argue, and hiccupped instead. Katara smiled endearingly and went to fetch his water.

'It seems you won't be able to do anything until this passes. Have you any plans I should cancel?'

'Fetch another servant to get Iroh. He knows my schedule.'

'Of course.' Katara handed him the water and ran to the nearest servants room. 'Prince Zuko has fallen sick and requires his Uncles assistance. Can you fetch him?' The little boy she had spoken to nodded and ran off in the opposite direction. Katara returned to his rooms to find him getting out of bed.

'Sir, whilst you are ill I am afraid I must insist that you stay in bed.'

He growled and hunched over, another coughing fit racking hit ribs. Blood spattered the floor and Katara frowned at what she had done. It was meant to be painless and in his sleep, not like this.

'You, you're, you can help.' He stuttered.

She wiped the blood from his lips with a damp cloth. 'What do you mean?'

'Heal.'

Katara blinked. 'I, I can't, I, I'm not a healer.'

'You can bend. I saw.'

'Not every waterbender is a healer.'

'Your wrist.' He whispered, in obvious pain.

'I'm water tribe, one of my friends can heal. I can try but..'

He nodded and Katara felt her resolve weaken as she watched a boy dying before her. She stuck her hands in the water and lifted it out with clenched fists. She held it over his naked chest, but it wouldn't glow. It wouldn't do anything. She concentrated on the water so hard that tears rolled down her cheeks and joined the water that was refusing to heal.

'Stop.'

Katara lifted the water from his chest and ran to the bathroom. 'I just need fresh water. Cold water will help.'

The water formed a long tendril that followed her to his bed. His hand met her wrist, it was boiling hot. 'Stop.'

Her tears sizzled on his skin and Prince Zuko frowned at her actions. She cared for his wellbeing a _lot._ He didn't realise that if he died she would become a murderer, and Katara just couldn't face that.

'Prince Zuko!' General Iroh had burst into the room and was staring at Katara.

'Uncle Iroh.' He smiled and looked to Katara from his lying position. 'Give us moment alone.'

Katara nodded and swept out the room to get a stew from the kitchens.

'That girl...' General Iroh trailed off and looked to his nephew, he had no chance now.

'Uncle can you cancel all of my meetings for the next week?'

'Certainly Prince Zuko. Is there anything else I can do for you?'

Prince Zuko burst into another fit of coughs and then closed his eyes. 'Make sure my servant gets a pay rise.'

General Iroh would've laughed if it weren't his nephew that was dying.

'Certainly.'

Prince Zuko fell asleep with a slight smile on his lips.

oOo

While Prince Zuko's rooms were quiet and calm, the rest of the Palace was bedlam. Everyone was panicking and Katara was being continually questioned by the other servants. She began to prefer his rooms to the rest of the castle, which seemed ironic to her.

'Is there nothing we can do to stop this?'

Prince Zuko smiled.

'Well you said that Firebenders don't get sick right? So there must be a reason, what if you can burn it out?'

'How?'

'Can't you all regulate your temperatures?'

'It will make the room unbearable for you.'

'Well I'm not the one who's sick.' Katara smiled at him.

'It's going to be freezing because I'll take in all the heat. But if you get too near then it'll be boiling. I don't want to make you uncomfortable.'

'This outfit makes me uncomfortable. Speak to your dad sometime.'

He laughed, it was harsh and angry, and it made blood spatter the sheets.

'Do it now.'

**Ok guys thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you to Tinkerbell who said to make Katara meet Zuko as an assassin again and thank you to everyone else who reviewed.**

**Dear PeterPan thank you personally for your review it was slightly creepy. Keep 'em coming.**

**To everyone and anyone: I need these reviews as motivation guys! Help me out? ;)**

**So I hope you liked this chapter it was mainly to fill a much needed space where Katara gets her move on and tries to kill Zuko. I think it was truthful to Katara's character as well, because regret is easy to feel once you've done something you know is wrong.**

**So I'm starting the next chapter and enjoy reading everything to come!**


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer: Don't sue me. I'm awesome.**

_Chapter Eleven_

The room was constantly like ice and Katara originally found it refreshing after the uncomfortable heat that was the Fire Nation weather. However, its novelty wore off quickly and soon Katara was wearing a coat inside his rooms and had switched her trousers for more favourable shorts, for when she was closer to Prince Zuko where suddenly it felt like the world was on fire.

Sweat constantly covered his brow and Katara spent most of her time cooling it or fetching him water.

'Servant.' Katara shucked her coat, grabbed a glass of water and drew near. Prince Zuko coughed, drank from the glass and looked at her. 'I don't remember your name.'

'You don't need to know it sir, you just need to get better.'

'Tell me your name.'

'Katara.' The name felt fake on her lips, it was the name of an assassin now, not the name of who she used to be – the young innocent girl that Katara was so jealous of. Her heart sank as he said it himself, as he took her word for it and smiled. People shouldn't trust her.

He said her name again and Katara felt the tears come, but then his hand waved before her face.

'Katara!'

She shook her head. 'Sorry Your Highness. What do you want?'

'Well I was thinking, I know you can't heal but you said that your friend could. Maybe he could help me.'

Katara groaned inwardly, she knew it would only be matter of time before he thought of that. 'He left town sir, I cannot call him back. Besides you've been showing improvement.'

'Barely.'

'Hey, not coughing blood is a huge improvement.' He coughed as if on cue and Katara stared at him. 'It's like I brought that on.' She whispered.

'You're very superstitious Katara.' He shooed her away and Katara welcomed the icy feeling of the rest of the room compared to the stifling heat that radiated from him.

oOo

Katara continued to pay for her room in the inn outside the Palace, but she hadn't returned in the past two weeks. She'd turned up, paid for a month in advance and then left. Katara had realised that if she wanted Prince Zuko to live she would have to commit, so she'd moved into the Palace for the time being. But one morning, after she'd left the servants quarters, that were mere meters away from Prince Zuko's rooms, she heard a crash. She raced over and let herself in without knocking. The room was empty. _Did they get bored of waiting for me to finish the job? What about Sokka?! Oh no! What have I done! I've killed him!_ Prince Zuko emerged from the bathroom.

'I knocked over a statue.' He smiled.

'What are you doing out of bed?' Katara was ready to scold him and mother him when he held up a hand.

'Haven't you noticed?'

'What?'

'The room isn't cold Katara. I stopped the heat thing last night because I've burned out the, well whatever it was.'

'It only took you two weeks.' Katara clapped a hand over her mouth, the childish jibe had come from years of practise with Sokka and it was almost reflex to her.

Prince Zuko just grunted in his usual way and sat down at his desk.

'So should I resume my usual work?'

'Yes.'

Katara stood behind him for a moment. 'Thank you for the pay rise.' He turned to answer her but all he saw was her back as she slipped out the door.

oOo

'Katara, I understand you have been working in the Palace recently.' The Third Gunner sipped delicately at what Katara suspected was peppermint tea.

'Yes, when the Second Gunner offered me the job, I realised it would be very beneficial for me.'

'Have you made any attempts on the Prince's life yet?'

Katara hesitated, should she mention her failure? The hooded figure sat patiently and she realised he probably knew the truth, he _was _the Leader of the best intelligence system in the Fire Nation.

'Yes.'

She heard it, a sharp intake of breath. 'How did you try to kill him?'

'I poisoned his dinner.'

'I see. Why was this unsuccessful?'

'He burned the toxin out himself. It made the next few days very uncomfortable for me. Of course, he does not know that he'd been poisoned so I've decided to find a more, um certain, way of killing him.'

'Of course, of course. Well thank you for this report. Please return to the Gunner's Fold with updates often.'

Katara nodded and stood up. 'Thank you for the tea.' She glanced at her cup; it was untouched and steaming slightly.

She slipped out the door which closed with a quiet click.

'Katara!' The Second Gunner skidded down the hall after her.

Katara bowed slightly.

'I wanted to offer you some advice on killing Prince Zuko, you should try getting him whilst he's sleeping because it will stop most of his natural defences.'

Katara frowned, _natural defences? What are those? _But at the risk of sounding ignorant she just smiled and nodded. 'Thank you for the advice.'

oOo

The moons pull on Katara was strong, stronger than it had ever been. She was aware of it constantly, just a tugging on her senses. That niggling sensation at the back of her mind, the buzzing energy in her blood, the call of the water – a song from sirens of the depths.

'It's tiring isn't it?'

'Serving Prince Zuko or just life in general Luli?'

'Ha! Drama Queen. What I _meant _was that it's tiring walking round the castle with me because none of the guards even glance at you. I'm too gorgeous.'

'Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure.'

Luli poked her in the ribs. 'Katara, have you not been listening? I was _making _a joke! You've been so _serious_ recently!'

'Huh? Oh, sorry Luli.' Katara smiled endearingly.

'Don't pretend to laugh! I know you weren't listening.'

'Fine.' Katara sighed. 'I guess I'm just a little lonely round here. All my family is so far away and I can't see them for a long time.'

'Well, you could always invite them here, rumour is that there's a huge ball coming up and nobody would notice to extras in the castle.'

'I guess, but, it's too risky.' Katara sighed again and rounded the corner alone. She entered Prince Zuko's rooms and looked about. _He must be in the bathroom. _She set the food down on the desk and took out some clothes from him.

Unable to resist her moment of seclusion Katara extended her mind to the moon. The clothes fell from her hands. Her soul left her body and expanded, filling the room with a misty substance, she could _feel_ everything in the room. It was hazy and fuzzy, like vision without glasses. Her soul leaked through the cracks in the bathroom door, searching for something it could _see_. Vast amounts of water enveloped her vision and she cawed in delight, it was ecstasy. She could feel the water in the pipes, the water in the sinks, in the bath, in Prince Zuko's blood.

Her body moved, it was of its _own _accord. Her soul was no longer attached to it. It performed a bending technique, flowing like water but jagged like earth, a technique never seen to the world. And Prince Zuko's sleeping body moved. It slid down the bath and held its own head underwater.

The Mist held swarmed over his head and watched as bubbles stopped flowing from his nose and mouth. Then it flowed quickly and abruptly back into the body.

Katara dropped to the ground, her entire body was covered in sweat, like a second skin. She bent it away and out the window without a second thought.

'Well that was weird.'

Katara lay on the floor for a moment, exhaustion taking a firm hold on her body. She stood up to leave just in time. Prince Zuko emerged from the bathroom, _alive. _Katara gaped at him as he walked over the changing screen.

'You know that I can see you looking at me Katara.'

She frowned at what he meant and realised he was wearing nothing, except for a towel around his waist. She blushed scarlet as her eyes fixated on his abs and refused to move.

'Right, well. I'm going to put on some clothes now.'

_Damn this guy is immortal! Honestly, the poison I felt bad about and he didn't die! But this, he stopped breathing. He shouldn't be here at all._

She staggered out the room like a drunken woman whilst he dressed and collapsed in the nearest chair. _So I'm tired enough that I can't walk, but not that I can't bend? _When she tried to stand her legs refused to move, they stayed stubbornly still and Katara frowned. _If I can't walk, maybe I can bend? _She extended her senses again and her soul left her body with her breath, it floated above her head, invisible to anyone who wasn't a waterbender. And it moved her body for her.

oOo

When Katara reached the inn where she had been sleeping for the past month she collapsed happily on the bed. Or her body did. Her soul rushed back in through her nose and mouth and she felt it spread to fit her body perfectly.

_So I have a new power, or, at least I've discovered an old one? Oh it's just too confusing to think about! But this is brilliant; I can use it to watch people without having to be there!_

Katara body and soul separated again and her soul crept through the city like mist. It rested for a moment to watch a young water tribe man and his fiancé as they talked and then returned to the body making Katara whole again.

_Sokka's ok! I was so certain that they'd double cross me, they are gunners after all. _Katara fell asleep quickly, her mind riddled with fragmented thoughts she couldn't fully understand.

oOo

With her last two attempts at murder failing miserably Katara took to planning her next. The full moon remained and with it, her power. She could feel its strength and she knew it would last for at least another week, which gave her a few days to plan her next attempt.

**I am so so sorry I haven't written in so long! I've been soo busy with summer and my family! God I **_**never **_**have this much to do! Anyways, back at school now so I should be writing more, at least more than I have this summer. But less than I did originally. Try a chapter a month ish, probably a bit more if you give me reviews to egg me on :P But yeah I'm in year 11 now which means GCSE's and I am **_**failing **_**in history and food tech and classical civilisation and chemistry. So I need to study at least a little now :/ but on the plus side, once this is over I only have AS and A levels. Yay. This is the three year exam stretch.**

**Enough about my life now :)**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer: I love it. But it's not mine.**

_Chapter Twelve_

Katara had her plan. Almost a week had passed since she'd discovered her new power, or old power, or- it didn't really matter. She was going to use her bloodbending to win; it _was _her secret weapon after all. And then she could go home, back to the South Pole where she belonged, where she _missed_. It was a simple plan and seeing as tonight was the night of the full moon, how could she resist? Well, it wasn't a simple plan; but that was irrelevant.

Katara set her tray down gently, but the cutlery still clinked together musically.

'Katara, I want you to return tonight.'

She bowed her head to hide her smile at her luck. 'Why is that Prince Zuko?'

'Can you keep a secret?' His voice had dropped to a whisper.

'Of course Prince Zuko.'

'It's a secret of national security.'

Katara was intrigued now. 'Only if you believe I can be trusted with this information Prince Zuko.'

'There is an assassin out for my blood, and I feel she may try to kill me tonight. But she would never try if there is someone else here.'

'Ar- are you sure Prince Zuko?'

'Yes. She's a Gunner.'

Katara gasped which, luckily, was the reaction she needed anyway. She couldn't _believe _that he was giving out that information like it was fire flakes at a festival!

'I will do anything to protect the Prince of the Fire Nation but I don't know what use I would be.'

Katara frowned inwardly, she hadn't visited him in a while, was there a pattern she hadn't noticed?

Prince Zuko turned away from her and smiled fleetingly. It was one of his rare smiles, but he knew that the waterbender was, well, a waterbender and he was going to force her to use her powers. What with it being the full moon she may not even realise she was bending until she saw it, and that was his plan.

oOo

Katara was becoming more and more nervous with the thought of spending the evening alone with Prince Zuko. He _knew _something was wrong, she _knew _he knew; but she didn't know what he knew. It was all a very confusing train of thought. Katara shook her head and adjusted the bag on her shoulder; it contained several logs of wood that made Katara even more nervous, he was planning on burning a fire that night.

The door clicked open and she dumped the logs on the floor unceremoniously one rolled across the room and she sighed. By the time Katara had picked it up, Prince Zuko had appeared and punched flames at the logs already in the fireplace.

'Should I bring some food up?'

He considered silently. 'Yes. Enough for both of us.'

Katara bowed her head. 'May I ask why I am here Prince Zuko, you could have had a bender here to help you.' She kept her head to the floor, hiding her expression, even while he took minutes to answer.

'Because you interest me.' _And_ _you're a bender_. He finished silently.

She hurried out the door, unsure of how to handle the situation.

oOo

Katara returned quickly with two trays of meaty buns, fruits and sticky sweet buns. She set them down gently and hovered in the corner of the room.

'Come here.'

'What for Prince Zuko?'

'You can't just hide over there all evening.'

'I don't want to bother you sire.'

'Just come out the shadow. You're making me nervous.'

Katara hesitated. 'I think I'd prefer to stay here.'

He grunted in exasperation. 'I'm going for a bath.'

She ran the pump system for him and left the room to sit in the middle of the bedroom. She crossed her legs and laid her hands flat on her knees. Her awareness spread through the room and she let her soul flow out in a breath through her nose. It was much easier this time. Prince Zuko wasn't in the bath, she could 'see' him sat on the floor sketching, rather than wondering _why _she had just pumped the bath in for nothing, she let her soul swarm around him; he breathed quickly and she was sucked in.  
Katara panicked. What if he _felt _her there? What if she couldn't get out? Her body heaved in a ragged breath. Calm. Her soul journeyed through his body to his brain and the bloodstream that led to it and it sat there. She let her soul block the blood and let it fill the tiny area like a wall. Prince Zuko's head lolled forward and Katara waited for the inevitable end, if he was unconscious then he would be dead soon.

Someone knocked on the door. Katara lifted her soul from his body, in a concentrated stream through his ears so, to anyone who could see it, it truly looked like Prince Zuko had steam coming out of his ears. The soul flew straight into the body and they reformed to make Katara. She answered the door.

'Luli, what are you doing here?' She hissed.

'I thought you might need saving Kat.'

'Kat?' She shook her head, not the time. 'Never mind. Look you can't be here, you _know _that Luli. Go on, off you go!'

'You follow the rules too much Katara.' She sighed and then, almost as though she had immediately forgotten, she skipped away.

'That girl is an enigma.'

'Who?' Katara whirled to face Prince Zuko, his voice was easily recognisable to her now. She didn't manage to reply, instead she fainted.

oOo

Katara woke to the sight of absolutely nothing. She panicked. _I'm blind! I'm blind! I shouldn't have used my bloodbending! What have I done? Never mess with things you don't understand!_

'Calm down Katara.' Something lifted off her face and she could see again. Katara let out a ragged breath; he'd been wiping her brow with a flannel. Yes that's right, Prince Zuko seemed to care. 'Just take a moment.' She tried to sit up but he pushed her shoulders back down firmly. 'Stay.' Like she was a _dog._ Katara sat up quickly, indignant about being told what to do. The world around her spun and she clapped a hand to her forehead and staggered to her feet.

'I just need to-' Katara broke off as exhaustion claimed her again.

'Seriously just stay still!' He growled and grabbed her.

Katara squirmed but admitted defeat quickly. He watched her for moment, as though to make sure she wouldn't run away, then he walked swiftly away and came back with a glass of water.

'Do you know what happened?'

Katara choked on the water. 'What?'

'Do you know why you fainted?' He stared at her like it was obvious.

'I dunno,' she corrected herself; 'um I don't know Prince Zuko.'

His lips thinned. 'I think I know what happened.'

Katara smiled weakly at him, she was confident he didn't. There was no way he could guess what had happened.

'I think you waterbent today. And I think you're exhausted.'

Katara sucked in a breath.

'And from the look on your face, you _know _that I'm telling the truth.'

Katara reeled, she was shocked. How could he have guessed that? Had he seen her? Was she really that careless?

'Katara.'

What had she done? Did he know anything else?

'Katara.'

Was she going to be arrested?

'_Katara._'

'Yes?'

'Will you show me?'

'What?' She blinked.

'We rarely see your people around here, let alone benders. I've never seen any water bending before.'

'Oh.' Katara frowned, he already knew; maybe she could use this to her advantage. Then again, maybe it would all go horribly wrong.

Prince Zuko could see the hesitation in her eyes; he swallowed then licked his lips. 'Please.'

How could she say no to that?

'I'll need some water and, and a few minutes to get my head back in gear.'

He nodded and hastened into the bathroom to pump water into the bath. 'Ok the baths full of water whenever you're ready.'

Katara was asleep.

oOo

She woke up to darkness. Her eyes adjusted to the meagre light quickly and she glanced about. Somehow, she was laid on the bed and Prince Zuko was sat hunched over a notepad across the room. A glass of water lay next to her and she drunk it down quickly.

'Katara, you're awake.'

'Yes, I'm, er, sorry I fell asleep.'

'That must have been some serious bending you did earlier. I'd love to see it.'

'It's not something I can particularly demonstrate I'm afraid; you have to be a waterbender to experience it – I think.'

'Oh.'

Katara spread most of her soul through the room and smiled, everything that could have been, was filled with water: the bath, the sink, several buckets, glasses, pitchers and even random jars and tubs. My, he was enthusiastic.

'Light the room.'

'What?'

'If you light the room, I'll show what I can do.' _Or at least, what any waterbender can do _she finished.

The room was suddenly ablaze as fire flew from his fingertips. Katara squinted and then smiled.

Water flowed out of the bathroom in long elegant streams. She whirled it about his head, keeping the edges soft so that she wouldn't accidently cut him. He grinned. The water formed a perfect sphere and held for a moment before it split off into thousands of tiny tendrils, the tendrils split off in turn into hundreds of thousands of glittering water droplets; each one a perfect sphere. And they fell to the ground like star dust.

'That's amazing.'

Katara let out a breath. 'I've never done it like that before. Sorry about the water on the floor.'

He smiled and put his hands to her shoulders. 'It's fine. Thank you.'

Katara swayed on her feet. 'I think it might've been a bit much.' She murmured and put a hand to her forehead.

Katara sat down with a thump, her body bouncing on the hard wood floor.

'Katara?' He sat down next to her and Katara closed her eyes, too tired from all the bending to think coherently. 'Katara?'

It wasn't long before her head lolled on his shoulder and a light snore escaped her. He smiled despite himself and looked down at her. This girl had showed him kindness he had only ever found from his cousin Lu Ten and he had never _really_ cared. Not enough to save him from the monster that Azula had become.

The smiled faded from his lips until only a ghost of it remained; a memory of what he had felt and nothing more. This girl was special.

She mumbled in her sleep and shifted on his shoulder; her hair came loose from her ponytail and fell long down her back. He stared for a moment, in Fire Nation culture women only take their hair down in front of family or close friends. He guessed that that's what they were now.

Her eyes opened, the striking cobalt brightening her dark face.

'Are you ok?'

She blinked twice and righted herself quickly. 'Sorry.'

'It's fine.'

'It's almost sunrise Prince Zuko, should I be leaving you now?'

'Call me Zuko. From what you've done for me, you have earned it more than anyone.'

'Oh um ok, thank you. I'd offer for you to call me Katara but I already have so um' she paused, unsure what to say 'here.' She gently lifted some water through the window, the rain pattering softly. It froze to a hardened disk the size of a coin and she slashed a small flame into the centre. 'It's us, I guess. Water and fire.'

He took it from her and held it in his palm. 'It's beautiful, but won't it melt?'

Katara frowned. 'Close your eyes.'

'What?'

'Close your eyes Zuko.' It felt alien to call him that but she liked it. They were friends of a sort.

His eyes closed obediently but a frown plastered his face.

Katara closed her eyes and let a thin stream of her soul flow out of her body. It separated from the main entity and she felt its loss. It still followed her commands, so Katara sent it into the disk and sealed it there.

'You can open your eyes.'

He gasped at the sight before him. Light swirled within the disk like it was alive and it made it glow with something that Zuko could only really describe as a soft fire that never wavered or flickered.

'How did you do this?' He breathed.

'Trade secret.' Katara smiled gently. 'Get some sleep, you've been up all night Pri- uh, Zuko.'

He obliged and she exited the room quickly. Her back thumped the door as she lay against it. 'Well, that was an unexpected development.'

**See? I am trying harder write more often again. I'm getting back into the swing of things now! PROMISE! And I'm back on track with Classical Civilisation and Food Tech if you're interested :P Just on the naughty step for chemistry and history. Hopefully that won't last long.. Thanks for the reviews guys! It made me feel the need to write again :D**

**If you''re interested in my life I'm choosing my A Levels right now, which is makng for interesting time because I just want to be a housewife and have three children and a dog. I think my dad would have a heart attack if he heard that though :/ so I'll probably just choose things I enjoy and then Food Tech so I can feed my kids properly. I might write professionally but it really depends I guess. **

**Anyways, hoped you enjoyed my newest chapter. It was a bit bitty but I enjoyed writing it and I had to transition them to friends for my next few chapters to work. So, yeah. Thanks for reading and please review soon :D tell me what you thought and if you think there's something specific I should do next...**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer: If I owned avatar, I wouldn't be here on fanfic would I?**

_Chapter Thirteen_

She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill him. Why would they ask her to kill him? She was a novice; a nobody! Not an assassin! He was her friend.

A tear rolled down her cheek and she dashed it away; her eyes hardened. _It doesn't matter what I think. If I can do it. If he's my friend. I have to do this to save Sokka and I won't let anyone hurt my family if I can help it._

Katara looked up from her perch on the balcony; she'd been crouching on the railing for half an hour now, completely silent and very still. She lifted her feet and planted them stiffly on the patio outside Zuko's room. At the very least she had to throw him off the scent, La knows what he would do to her if he found out she was a Gunner. She took a swig from her hip flask, the Sin Whiskey burned her throat and she gagged slightly.

She slipped into the room, light on her feet. Zuko was sleeping soundly in his bed and Katara watched for a moment, a slight smile playing on her lips. She unsheathed her dagger and leaned over him.

Then she dropped it. Katara knew she could never have done any damage, but she had to _try _and she had to keep on trying. It landed heavily on his chest and she walked to the edge of the room; she didn't want it.

'I don't understand you. If that wasn't the perfect opportunity to kill me I don't know what was.'

Katara closed her eyes and didn't move away from the window. 'Maybe that's not what I'm here for.'

Her knife whizzed past her head and embedded itself in the wall next to her, she didn't move. 'Your knife isn't helping your argument.' He muttered.

'You don't know anything.' She muttered bitterly and her anger flared, making fire explode from her nostrils.

'Are you a fire bender?!' He was panicked, that was something to celebrate.

Thank you Sin Whiskey.

He sucked in a breath. 'Fine. You still had the opportunity to kill me.'

'Opportunity suggests that I want to be here Prince Zuko and I don't. I really don't.'

Katara let herself out the window and stepped onto the railings.

'Wait! Why did you come here?'

Katara turned to face him and let herself walk into the air.

'No!'

The world rushed around her as she fell and tears ran down her face. She tucked her knees in like Jian had shown her, turning the fall into a clean somersault. But the ground came too quick beneath her and she landed on all fours, a shattering pain spiking through her shoulder and ankle. She hissed and stood shakily.

oOo

Katara reached the palace walls and climbed them at a snail's pace; her arm felt like it was on fire. She rested on top and rolled her shoulder. Dislocated. Katara closed her eyes and jerked it back into the socket; the noise that followed sounded like a Moose-Cat being strangled. Katara lifted a litre of water from the nearby pond. The water glowed and wrapped around her ankle, shifting her painful muscles. She sighed and the water dropped like rain.

Katara jumped off the wall and wandered back to the palace. She had barely thought about what she was doing when she reached the edge of the garden next to his room.

_What am I doing? Am I crazy? I just want to check that he's ok- no, no I forgot my knife. That's it, I need that knife._ Katara shook her head and placed her hands in the holds she'd carved into the wall earlier that night. She was on the balcony in seconds; but so was Prince Zuko. Katara balked; if he saw her face, he might recognise her. She kept on climbing, hoping he wouldn't turn around, but she hadn't made handholds there and she could barely hang on to the wall.

He muttered under his breath below her. 'Damn it, she can't be a fire bender. Why did she have to turn up when things were going so right?' He paused. 'Or just before they started going right.' He whirled and punched the wall, anger striking his heart. The force reverberated through the wall and Katara lost her balance and tumbled right into him.

A muffled voice came from under her as she tried to work out which legs belonged to her. She shifted and the voice repeated itself.

'You again!'

They leapt apart from each and she watched him gather his bearings. His hand shifted and went to punch her; it was bruised and swollen. She caught the fist and they froze together, he was squinting at her face, she was staring at his hand.

'Katara?'

Katara let go of him. Oh god. She'd failed.

oOo

Katara held out her hands.

'What are you doing that for?'

'Go on, arrest me. I know you're going to.'

'I'm not going to arrest you Katara. Not right now at least.'

Katara faltered and her arms fell to her side. 'Why not?'

'Why are you trying to kill me?'

_Oh. The big question. How do I answer that one?_

'I was made an unwilling member of the Gunners Fold because they threatened to kill my brother. They said we would both be free if I did one mission. I said yes.'

His eyes widened. 'I thought they were meant to be professional, why would they put a new assassin on the Prince of the Fire Nation?'

'Well, to be fair, I could've killed you about five times now. Besides, I have a talent.'

'What talent?'

'I think I've answered enough questions today Prince Zuko.'

He glared at her. 'I told you not to call me that.'

Even though he'd said it almost angrily, Katara was touched. She knew how much that title meant to him, she was honoured to call him Zuko. 'I'm sorry.'

He lifted his hand and Katara saw it in slow motion; the look in his eyes, the slightest smile on his lips, his hand moving closer and closer to her face. His hand made contact, brushing the side of her face and she closed her eyes feeling tears smear her cheeks. Katara stopped, she hadn't cried.

The sight she opened her eyes to was surprising. He was frowning, looking almost worriedly at her. Katara grabbed his hand and gently moved it down.

'I'm sorry, I didn't know if-' He hesitated.

Katara shook her head. 'It's not that, you're bleeding idiot.'

His frown deepened at her comment but he let it pass. _If that isn't true friendship I don't know what is_. Katara mused.

She walked inside his rooms and flicked her wrist at a jug of water. The glow cast a blue light across the room and Zuko's mouth hung open.

'I have to go now.'

'What? Where?'

Katara looked down. 'The Gunners Lead are expecting me. I have to tell them if I've killed you yet.'

Zuko's lips thinned but he said nothing and nodded slowly. 'Go.'

oOo

'We know you haven't killed him yet. What are you waiting for Katara?' The Second Gunner, June, frowned from under her hood; if the girl hadn't done it by now it was likely she never would. 'We gave you every opportunity.'

'I, I,' Katara paused and she took in a breath. 'No. This isn't an easy job and it's not easy to kill. I will do it, but I will when I have the _perfect _opportunity because if I fail it's my life on the line.'

The Third Gunner straightened in his chair. That was a rousing speech. 'Kill him on the solstice. That's the best opportunity you'll get, even if it isn't perfect. The streets will be crowded and I will make sure he leaves the palace.'

Katara jolted, that was less than a month away! And how would he make sure Zuko went out anyway?

She shook it off. 'The solstice?'

'Yes! Inspired idea Third!' The First Gunner squealed in delight and Katara had to restrain herself from strangling him. He turned to her. 'Katara, you have to kill Prince Zuko by the solstice. That's the deadline.' He shook his head in admiration and crowed. 'The solstice! Inspired!'

Katara frowned. 'Is that really enough time?'

The Second Gunner raised a hand. 'You shouldn't question our judgement Katara. You _should _be able to kill on site with your bending so just be grateful we've given you this long.'

Katara's frown deepened. 'Ok, thank you.' She bowed her head and disappeared out the door.

oOo

Katara spent the night in her rooms; it was too far to walk back to the inn. She could hear other Gunners running about in their rooms, practising. For some reason it made her shudder.

The door to her office opened and Katara froze in her chair, invisible in the shadows. A lithe body entered and slunk in, heading straight for the bathroom. Katara stood and followed her, him, whoever it was, in. A flame flickered in the darkness as he lit a match and then the lamps.

Katara kicked him in the small of the back, hard and he fell on all fours.

'Who are you and why are you here?'

He rolled onto his back and put his hands up cautiously. 'Katara?'

'Jian?!'

'What are you doing here?' He looked up at her from the floor and moved to get up.

Katara put her foot on his chest. 'It should be me asking you that Jian.'

He gulped. 'I, I've been hiding things in your rooms. I knew you wouldn't be here. They wouldn't check.'

'What kind of things?'

'Sin whiskey and uh other things.'

'What's wrong with sin whiskey?'

'It's banned; so are other bending drugs or performance enhancing things.'

'Right. So what have you got here?'

'Lotus leaves, Sin Whiskey,' he paused. 'steroids.'

Katara frowned; no wonder he had been such a good fighter. 'What does a lotus leaf do?'

'You grind it up to make tea and with the perfect measurements you can create something that gives you earth bending. It's complicated though. Takes a good half hour to make and another five hours to brew. Even then I only get to move small rocks; I'm working on it.'

Katara scowled. 'You jerk. Throw it out. Now.'

He laughed. 'Katara this stuff is expensive.'

'Jian, you're in no position to talk back to me.'

He grabbed her foot, still planted on his chest and pulled it out from under her, rolling to his feet as he did.

'I think you'll find that I am _always _in a position of power.' He unsheathed his blade, meaning only to scare her, but Katara didn't see that. She saw a fight, metal and something sharp. She flung her hands out and Jian flew backwards like an abandoned rag doll.

'No Jian.' She said, standing. '_I _am always in the position of power.'

He struggled against her blood bending, trying in vain to fight it. Another man could've, it was late and Katara was exhausted, but Jian was weak from the steroids and bending drugs that had consumed his small body. She made him stand and run into the door and just like that his head lolled forward, unconscious. Katara sighed and walked over, holding his head in her hands. An incredible waste of life.

She flicked her wrists and Jian's bent body fell to the floor, like a puppet that had had its strings cut.

Katara left him there and went to sleep.

**Ok guys! We're more than halfway through! WOOOO! I have an idea for another story that I'm keen to start so I will be finishing this as quick as I can – don't worry I won't rush it – it just means that after January there should be a lot more instalments. I'm gonna go ahead and say after January because I have my GCSE mocks (woo...) so revision is almost all the time now. I'm finishing this chapter and then I don't think you can expect much more until after then exams. Sorry! If it makes you feel better, I have no social life anymore :(**

**Anyways, anyone else taking exams this January I wish you the best of luck and I hope you enjoyed my latest chapter! :D**

**Ps – PLEASE REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer: My heart will always belong to Prince Zuko and a mixture of supermodels. I wouldn't create my own boyfriend... So I can't have made avatar! (ok maybe I would)**

Chapter Fourteen

Katara left early that morning and return was within the palace walls just as the sun was rising. She grabbed a moon peach from the kitchens and made straight for Prince Zuko's rooms, sticky sweet juice dribbling down her chin as she went.

'Katara?! What happened? Tell me everything!'

Katara suppressed a smile at how he reacted to her meeting the Gunners Lead; it had become a normal thing for her. She frowned, maybe it shouldn't be.

'Alright,' she took a deep breath, and stopped – why should she have to spend the next hour saying everything? – Katara let out the breath. 'I have to kill you by the solstice.'

He nodded and she could tell he appreciated the condensed version. He was never a man of words.

'Wait, that's only two weeks from now!'

Katara hung her head; she knew it wasn't exactly ideal.

'Could we not just bring your brother here? That would put them under royal protection.'

Her heart jumped at the thought, could it really be that simple? 'No, if I could get in here, so could they.'

'That's a good point. How did you get in here anyway?'

Katara tapped her nose. 'Trade secret.' He glared at her and she grinned. 'I can't show you in daylight, that'd look odd – besides, I'm being watched. Tonight.' She promised.

oOo

Tonight came quickly as it happened and Katara quickly found herself leading Zuko outside the palace walls.

'Are you sure you're allowed to leave?' She whispered.

'Katara, I'm associating with a Gunner and a waterbender. I'm sure that's against the rules too.'

'Good point.'

They snuck around the outside of the castle walls; there it was: a few cracks in the cement, so far apart that nobody would even think they were anything other than a result of bad maintenance.

'What am I looking at here?'

She smiled; even Zuko couldn't see it. 'The grooves in the cement – they're handholds.'

He remained silent and Katara turned to face him; she burst out laughing when she saw his facial expression. He was incredulous. 'You used _that _to climb the palace walls and cheat the best security in the Fire Nation?'

When she had stopped crying she took a ragged breath and looked him in the eyes. 'Hardly the _best _security. The seedy inn I live at has better security!' She paused. 'You only protect the outside; once I'm in the grounds, I'm safe until I'm inside the castle. I would climb up and then wait in the grounds until I thought it was safe to let myself in.'

'Show me.'

His intense gaze scared her so she didn't bother replying; instead she put her hands into the first two grooves and pushed them through so they reached where the hole ended. Katara kicked off the ground into a handstand with her hands still in the grooves and then slipped her feet into the next holes. She used her momentum to pull the top half of her body up and clutched the top of the wall. Then she climbed on top gracelessly and somersaulted off the back, into the gardens. It took her a matter of seconds.

She popped her head back over the wall to see Zuko's expression; his mouth was wide open.

'How did you do that?'

'I had training from an acrobatic gunner. It's called application of skills.' She grinned.

He growled at the challenge and tried to follow her lead; he managed to put his feet in the second set of grooves and then tried to lift his body to the top of the wall. Katara giggled as he flailed upside down on the wall.

Once Zuko got to his feet, he frowned up at her. 'What if I left?'

'What?'

'What if I left here and didn't come back until the Gunners had let you and your brother get back to the south pole?'

Katara jumped down from the top of the wall. 'You would do that?'

'We're friends aren't we Katara?'

She smiled, 'Yeah, I guess so.' then she faltered. 'How would I prove you're dead?'

Zuko's grin flashed in the darkness. 'You have a coin don't you? And we'll leave behind some kind of battle scene. Say you pushed me in the river!'

Katara nodded, it made sense. 'How do you know about the coin?'

'I make it my business to know Katara, you should know that.'

'So it's a plan?'

'It's a plan.'

He shook her hand and sprang over the wall using fire bending as a jetpack.

'Show off!' She called over the wall and then turned to the city.

oOo

Katara stood in the doorway to Zuko's personal chambers and waited to be noticed.

'I thought you weren't coming here today.' He said, emerging from the bathroom.

'I wanted to get you some clothes for the solstice, or um for after the solstice.'

She took out the clothes and laid them on the bed; they were Earth kingdom green and had little gold detailing on the breast. 'I figured the Earth kingdom would be the best place for you to hide in.'

'Oh.' He stared at the clothes, suddenly feeling crushed. _Was I expecting something else? I couldn't stay here; my scar would tell everyone who I am. The Earth kingdom does make sense, but I guess I thought I was going with her. _'Thanks.'

'Obviously you need to choose a name and a story. I've bought a small apartment for you in Ba Sing Se and left a little money for you but you should probably take some with.'

'Of course. I'll call myself-'

'Don't tell me! The more I know the harder it'll be to hide it.'

He nodded. _So this'll be a clean break, we'll never see each other again._ That scared him.

oOo

It was the morning of the solstice and everything had suddenly become real for Zuko. _All my family will think I'm dead. And what about Mai? She loves me. I owe her some kind of explanation._

He stuffed the clothes Katara had got him into a bag along with a back of gold and a few provisions. Zuko cast his gaze across the room, nostalgic. _I won't be gone for long. It'll be an adventure. I'm sure. _Then he shoved the bag under his bed and left the room swiftly, making his way to Mai's home, she _did _deserve some kind of explanation.

oOo

His heart pounded is his chest as he looked his betroved in her eyes. Zuko stepped back and took her in one last time, he _did _love her. He was certain. She wore her ebony hair down which made her face look slimmer and softer, her eyes were like the liquid gold that haunted his nightmares – they were the same as his fathers. Mai wore a silk robe that was drably coloured in burgundy and black. It made him think about her heart and he wondered why she was always so unhappy. It made him unhappy. But he _did_ love her.

'Mai, I-' He shook his head, sending his dark hair flying. 'I wanted to give you these,' he thrust some fire lilies into her hands and continued hastily. 'and tell you that you make me very happy. I look forward to our wedding next year and no matter what happens you should know that you have never put a foot wrong.'

'Zuko, I don't understand what you're saying.' She replied, coughing lilies.

'I don't think I can tell you. The more you know, the harder it'll be to hide it.' He echoed those crushing words and closed his eyes briefly at the rejection that he felt when he had heard them.

'Zuko, have I done anything wrong?' Her brow creased slightly and he swallowed painfully.

'No Mai, this is something that we just can't stop. You need to forget this conversation and just take the meaning: you weren't taken for granted and you would have been a wonderful wife.'

'Zuko. Tell me what's going on!'

He shook his head briefly and watched her eyes narrow.

'If you don't, I will go to your father and ask what's going on!'

'No Mai you can't! It's so important that you don't!'

'Then tell me.'

He swallowed. _It couldn't do much harm.. _'I'm leaving and I'm not coming back.'

'What? Why?'

He'd told her too much, he could see the mistake now. It wasn't loss in her eyes, it was just curiosity. 'I can't tell you.' He pushed past her and stopped at the door. 'I hope you like the lilies Mai.'

The door slammed behind him.

oOo

Zuko walked through the meandering streets with purpose; it was cloyingly hot and the sun bore down on him so intensely that he tugged at his collar. People around him were celebrating loudly. They were singing, drinking and watching the acrobatic shows that were being performed on the rooftops. He smiled at the chaos that had become tradition and shifted his rucksack on his shoulder.

_I'm going to miss it here._

He pulled open his bag and tied that scary blue mask over his head to hide his face; it would only make him look like he had taken the celebrations too far. He was used to hiding himself away.

'Hey,' A pretty girl smiled from behind her glasses at him. 'do you want to dance?'

Zuko froze. 'Err, I can't, I'm looking for my girlfriend.'

She smiled 'Shame!' and moved on to be quickly lost in the crowd.

He watched her go, bemused.

_Phew that could have been uncomfortable. I'm glad she believed-_

He felt two hands push him firmly from behind and his head struck the pavement with a sickening crack before he could react. He instantly lost consciousness. Small hands pulled the mask away from his face and thin arms snaked around his waist to heave him up with great difficulty.

'Had too much to drink.' She smiled at the crowd and dragged him into the darkness, whilst blood dribbled down his temple and over his scarred eyelid.

**Can you guess who took him? I don't think I was very subtle so review with who you think did it! (seriously, review.)**

**So it's all coming to an end. Thank you to everyone who's been reading this it means a lot to me! And you reviewers have a special place in my heart 3 (even though most of them are just my friends messing on their phones) SERIOUSLY GUYS REVIEW! **

**(ignore my desperation..)**

**Right so right now the world is frosted with snow and looking quite beautiful so I've been inspired and will be starting a new story the second this one is done!**

**I'm really excited for this story which is based on a song that I think is just beautiful.**

**So anyways, I hope you're all excited for everything that's going down and I hope you review your butts off!**

**(ignore that too)**

**Well this is becoming a long ending monologue. My exams went well too (All A's and A*'s apart from 2 B's!) Now my school is making me choose A Levels which is a bummer because I have no idea what to do. Any English girls choosing A Levels? Do you take them in other countries or do you do something else? (I find this interesting..)**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer: I don't avatar, despite my undying wit and humour.**

Chapter Fifteen

Katara watched as Zuko was shoved to the floor and dragged away by a girl in traditional fire nation dress. She kept her face hidden. Katara groaned inwardly, she should have _known _that Zuko wouldn't have made it to the rendezvous point without _something _happening. Although, actually, she did know - that was why she followed him.

She pushed through the crowds after them, but quickly found that the jostling and shoving had obscured them from her view. She cursed and clambered onto the pagoda style roof of a small house.

'AH! An adversary! Finally someone who is brave enough to face me!'

Katara turned around and rolled her eyes at the theatrics of the acrobat. He was part of the shows and she didn't have time for him. He cast his arms wide and the audience cheered as he began to circle her.

'I am nothing if not a gentleman so please, take the first move.'

Katara lunged and he dodged playfully out the way. She growled and went for his face as he skipped away again.

'I _said_, take the first move!'

The crowd laughed and Katara saw Zuko's kidnapper disappearing into an alleyway. She didn't have _time _for this!

Katara squared her shoulders and stood still, looking the acrobat directly in the eyes. She bowed deeply with her palms pressed together and he mirrored her actions.

They circled each other and she could see that all kidding was aside.

He sprang at her with his arms out in an attempt to slam the flat of his hands into her temples. Katara batted them away deftly and pushed him off the roof. She skipped onto the next roof and followed Zuko across the city.

The audience stood shocked as they stared at the acrobat who lay groaning in the mud.

oOo

Zuko woke to the darkness of the night pushing in on him. His arms ached and he looked up to see what was stopping him from putting them down. They were bound tightly with blackened ropes which were attached to a monstrous hook.

His toes barely scraped the ground but he tried his best to use them to support his body and save himself from the pain of his screaming muscles.

A monotonous voice spoke out from behind him. 'You took a while to wake up.' She sounded surprised. 'I never expected that you'd go down _that _easily.'

His head felt like it had been stuffed with cotton wool and the voice was muffled, but he'd know her anywhere.

'Why did you do this? Where am I?' He paused. 'What time is it?' He was meant to be meeting Katara at nine o'clock.

'You know why I did this, I can't tell you where we are; and as for the time, it's gone midnight.'

Zuko cursed and struggled on the hook like a fish.

She only smiled as she stepped out of the shadows.

oOo

Katara watched from her position atop a beam. She had snuck in through the back entrance and climbed until she had a good view of what was happening. The kidnapper had mainly sat filing her nails, but she suddenly snapped to attention and Katara realised that Zuko must have woken up.

The conversation between them was too faint for her to hear so she simply waited for a moment to attack. That moment came quickly. His assailant stepped out of the shadows and Katara could have jumped down and stopped her in less than sixty seconds; but she was too shocked.

It was Mai. _Mai._

How did the Gunner's Fold find out about their plan?

oOo

'Honestly Zuko, you were always the gullible sort. Here I am, best friends with your sister and your only _true _competition; and yet,' she paused to smile. 'betroved to you. Something didn't add up did it?'

'I thought you loved me.' He spat.

She laughed raucously. 'Loved you? _Loved _you? Loved _you_? Who could ever love you Zuko? You're disfigured.'

He swallowed the pain those words brought and smiled at her. 'I didn't say that I loved you back. You were always cold, like you couldn't _think_. It's a relief,' he carried on. 'because I was going to leave you Mai.'

'Oh yes, on your little secret journey.'

'No Mai. I was going to leave you whether I left the Fire Nation or not.'

Her smile faltered then fell. It didn't look right on her face anyway.

Zuko saw his chance to make her let him go; she obviously kidnapped him to stop him from leaving her. Maybe this was the way to show her that she could never had him. 'I found somebody else; somebody more suited to the Fire Nation and its needs. Somebody who is kind, compassionate and gentle; and somebody who was a better person in the first five minutes of her life than you have ever been Mai.'

Her eyes flashed and her lips pursed. 'If I were you Prince Zuko, I would remember who was on the meat hook right now.'

He looked about him wildly. _Meat hook_, that was a clue! He could make out the shapes around him now he knew what to look for; they were dead animals. Carcasses strung up on hooks to bleed dry before they're butchered and sold. He was in a factory in the workers district.

Zuko cursed violently which only resulted in Mai stepped closer to him.

She leaned even closer and slapped him across the face, so hard that his entire body swung on the hook. She stopped his momentum and hissed in his ear. 'I doubt I need to say this but we are _so _over.'

oOo

Katara gasped as she watched Mai step close to Zuko; so close there was almost no space between them; close enough to kiss. She let out a breath when Mai slapped him, somehow relieved despite her anger at how he was being treated. _I mean he's tied up and defenceless for god's sake!_

She rose on the beam, standing fully and jumped lightly backwards with her arms up straight. Her hands slammed into the beam that she was standing atop not a moment before and she hung there for a moment, steadying herself. She let go and gathered a little water from the moisture in the air to use for slowing her descent. It was the distance of three stories and she plummeted to the ground at an alarming speed, the water barely helped.

Katara landed jarringly on the concrete, she heard a snapping sound distantly and realised she must have broken something. Mai whirled at the sound of her landing and shuriken daggers flew from her coat as she turned. Katara dropped lower, so that she lay horizontal and the blades flew past. She lifted her head and kept her eyes locked on Mai's as she climbed to her feet, a sharp rock in hand.

'Why did you do this Mai?' Katara moved closer to her and slipped the rock into Zuko's hands as she passed him.

'You weren't going to.'

Katara frowned and stopped. 'What?'

'You weren't going to kill him.'

'If you do this and I don't, my whole family will be murdered.' Katara spoke quietly and held up her hands in submission. 'Besides,' she added quietly. 'he's your boyfriend.'

'He stopped being my boyfriend a long time ago.'

Katara raised an eyebrow. 'Just a _tad_ over dramatic.'

Mai flipped a blade between her fingers and flicked it at Katara so that it nicked her arm.

'You can't win in a close range fight. Give up while you have the chance.'

Katara closed her eyes and held up her hands, ready to give up. But then she remembered, they were in a _factory_, a factory containing vats of _blood._ She flung her arms out and then pulled the in to her chest so that all the blood lifted from the vats and hung in the air. A scarlet warning.

'Y- y- you're a bender?!'

Katara slashed at Mai's front instead of answering. Lost in the moment, she let all the blood fall and tried to drag blood from Mai's body. It clung to her soul and Katara fell, collapsing with the effort.

Mai's laugh filled the room, cold and violent. She pulled a nasty looking knife from her belt and aimed for Katara's heart.

The moment her fingers lost contact with the blade, she realised her mistake. Zuko had cut himself free with the rock and his body was currently throwing itself into the path of the blade with something that could almost be described as enthusiasm. His body jerked as the blade embedded itself and Katara heard the scream before she lost consciousness.

oOo

Katara woke to a crushing silence and opened her eyes the best she could manage; one seemed to be swollen from the fall or the way she had landed or something. She looked about and saw Zuko and Mai wrestling on the ground, instead of thinking Katara grabbed the chair Mai had been sat on and dashed it across her head with a ferocity she had never felt before.

Zuko rolled off of Mai and Katara collapsed again, exhausted with the effort of standing. He tied Mai up and hung her from the same hook she had hung him from.

oOo

Katara woke meters away from the factory; she lay in the grass and her ankle was just beginning to hurt. She could see Zuko lying next to her, his eyes closed and blood dried on his face; she reached out and tried to wipe it away. He rolled onto his side to face her and smiled weakly.

'You're awake.'

Katara nodded simply.

'I wasn't sure you'd come for me.'

Katara frowned but couldn't bring herself to talk.

'I thought that with me out the way your family would be safe and you could do whatever, without having to kill me.' He explained.

Her frown deepened and Zuko smiled at the silent reassurance.

'I had to save you.' She whispered.

'Why?'

'Because you were going to sacrifice your happiness for me and that made us the strongest kind of friends.'

'Friends?'

Katara sat up, suddenly uncomfortable of how close they were.

'Friends.' She confirmed.

They stood up and Katara grabbed for his hand. He looked at her. 'So where do we go from here?'

Katara looked down at their interlocked hands and thought. 'You can't leave now. Mai would have told the Gunners Lead.'

Zuko followed her gaze to their hands and fixed his eyes on them.

_Friends._

He looked up at Katara again and slammed his mouth into hers.

_Friends._

Katara reeled in shock but wound her arms around him all the same. Zuko only took that as encouragement and deepened the kiss.

_Friends. _

His brain repeated the word like a mantra for the first few moments but it soon faded away.

'Friends.' He said aloud as they broke apart, his tone incredulous.

They stood for a moment, catching their breath.

'Why did you do that?'

'Katara.' He whispered. 'Katara. We can't just be _friends!_ Look,' he paused again to take in a breath, 'you make me feel like I'm a part of something. My family, they always kept me separate. Ever since,' he gestured to his scar. 'ever since, _this_ I've been alone in the world. My only friend was uncle Iroh and he was always busy with Lu Ten. It never helped that Azula made my life so hard, she turned everyone against me. My own _sister_.' He spat.

'She's not your sister.' Katara clapped a hand over her mouth. She should not have said that.

'What?'

She paused; she could give him some rubbish about sisters being sisters through love not through blood. No, he would see through that. 'Ok. I was sworn to secrecy but,' she sighed. 'Ok.'

Katara sat down and Zuko quietly followed her lead. 'About a year ago, Sokka and I were passing through the city on our way to Ba Sing Se, but we ran out of money because Sokka got cocky with the gambling. We both had to stop for about a month and get jobs. My job was in the library. Master Chou had me categorising old documents, I basically had to read them and sort them into different sections. There was this one document though, it was old and slightly burnt and he refused to let me see it. So one day, I let myself. It was the bloodlines of the Royal family; your family. Next to each name was a small sketch, the gender, the birth date, and if they had one, a death date. The thing that interested me though, was the blood type. You all had AB negative. It dated right back to the first Fire Lord, you all had the blood type AB negative. Except Azula. She was O positive.' Katara, seeing his confusion, explained. 'Her blood type meant that unless your mother was O positive, she couldn't be part of the royal family. Of course, that made me interested. How could all of you be AB negative for hundreds of years and then suddenly there's a girl with O positive blood? So I looked up your mother's blood type in a separate record the next day. She was AB negative. I don't know if the wives are handpicked for their blood type or however your family stays that blood type, but Azula is _not _your sister.' Katara paused for breath. 'The only problem was that I hadn't resealed the scroll properly and Master Chou found out, somehow Azula heard about it and came running. Sokka and I had to leave as fast as possible after that.'

After a minute of silence she looked up to see Zuko staring at her. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

He sounded so accusing that Katara instantly jumped to defend herself. 'Well I didn't know your sister was a horrible person! For all I knew I would have been ruining a good relationship.'

He held up his hands consolingly. 'Ok. Sorry.' And then. 'She's not my sister.' He paused for a moment and ran a hand through his jet black hair before snapping back to attention. 'The point is; that I've never felt like I've belonged to anything before. You changed that Katara. You are the only person who can make me feel _normal_. I need you because I can't stand not knowing everything about you,' he paused, unsure how to continue.

Katara stopped him from having to try. 'Are you sure?' She asked steadily.

He looked directly at her. 'More sure than I have ever been.'

She took that as a yes and flung herself at him.

oOo

No more than ten minutes later, the two were pushing their way through the surprisingly large crowds that were still celebrating the solstice. The parties were still raging and bars were still overflowing with the drunk.

Katara tapped Zuko twice on the shoulder to tell him she was leaving and slid through the crowd into the alleyway that served as an entrance to her office. She was exhausted and ready to collapse on the floor where she stood; but of course, the Gunners Lead were waiting for her.

Katara gestured for them to sit and in doing so, bent water from a jug into the cup she had just picked up. She took a long drink.

'Is it done?' The Third Gunner tried his best to sound important and mysterious; he managed a squeak instead.

'No.'

'_What?'_

'My plan was ruined by Mai. She left the palace with Prince Zuko and was going to kill him! I had to save him in the guise of his servant so that I could do the job myself and save my brother.'

The Third Gunner held up a hand before the First could squawk again. 'That was quick thinking; if you hadn't stopped Mai she would be facing the death penalty for stealing somebody's commission.'

'She's in a slaughter house behind Ozai's Orchard. We tied her to a meat hook.'

The Third Gunner nodded from beneath his hood. 'We will collect her and detain her until your mission is complete and a hearing can be held.'

_Wow, Gunner's sure are law abiding for people who kill for a living._

Katara shrugged and the Gunners left the room quietly.

She fell asleep where she was sitting.

oOo

Zuko lay in his bed and watched the shadows move across the ceiling. _Katara kissed me! _He frowned. _But Mai was right, I _am _disfigured. Why would Katara want to be with me? Is it my title? Or is she trying to get close to me to make the kill easier? I don't know. _He sighed and continued to watch the shadows as they changed.

**SOMEBODY REVIEWED!  
I LOVE YOU ENYAANDEATHENYL ! **

**And you should love me because I do believe that this is two chapters in one month. I'm gonna check that. So it's been a good 20 minutes of trying to get the internet to work. I might just lie. Nope I checked. It was posted on the last day of January which means that I wrote this chapter in 12 days! (kudos to me)**

**(Sorry to all those who have reviewed that I've never mentioned.. It's been a slow reviewing patch and I've been dying here!)**

**So um, I wasn't sure if I was just going to leave them as friends or add some romance because I'm not the best at writing romantic stuff... I'll need to know what you thought of that part of the chapter so that I can like see if I should carry on with it or drop it. This comes with the added bonus of a review of course :)**

**I really don't like writing romance, it's official. Especially seeing as my own love life is so nonexistent. Too attached to my books...**

**My brain is really frazzled right now what with exams being about 7 weeks away, which is actually less than two months. So after the next chapter, expect a lull again. Or maybe I'll post it late instead to keep you going.**

**In order of keeping you posted, my plan (plot, whatever) for the story was 4 pages long, (well, 3 and a half), we are now onto page 4. I'm not sure about a sequel for this or not.. Maybe. But point is, it's drawing to an end. Does anyone actually read this stuff down here? I wouldn't.**

**Now before you leave, literally a two word review:**

**1****st**** word: good/bad/ok (towards the whole story)**

**2****nd**** word: yes/no (towards the romance)**

**Let's get 5 whole reviews! (You see how petty my life is?) You're down here already! It's right there. 2 words! (more is optional)**

**(and i'm not being mean but i can't write anything until i have a few opinions about the romance thing)**

V


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer: I've got a life much too busy to make my own cartoons... Instead I write fanfiction.. (because that makes sense)**

Chapter Sixteen

Katara froze when she felt the sharp metal biting into her neck. A painfully cold arm wrapped around her waist whilst the other pushed the impossibly sharp blade further into her skin. Her body thumped against her attackers and she heard him grunt quietly. Katara closed her eyes and breathed deeply before shoving her body backwards into his with a force that sent him flying into the wall close behind them and meant that the knife dragged violently across her neck.

She clutched a hand to the wound and turned to face her now disgruntled assailant. He looked up from the floor at her through a curtain of dark shaggy hair.

'JIAN?!'

He spat blood at her shoes. 'Didn't think I was dead did you?' He grinned, his teeth bloody. 'If you _had _killed me, the Gunners Lead would have put you down.'

'Woof.' Katara muttered.

'Exactly. I woke up hours after you pulled your little freak of nature bending trick. Pissed off. I've been following you Katara, I know exactly what you've been up to. It's a little bit demented isn't it? Befriending your mark?'

Katara gasped and grabbed Jian from the ground by his neck.

He spluttered and spat slightly, trying to laugh. 'Who do you think told Mai about your little plan?'

Katara's grip tightened around his neck. 'You aren't helping your case.'

'I wouldn't be so quick to kill me. Remember what the Gunners will do.' He chided.

She dropped him and he rubbed his neck, bruises already forming.

'Know your place. You are a peasant Katara and I will never _stop_ trying to bring you down.'

Katara turned to walk away and stopped. '_Why?_'

'You. Have. A. Way. Out.' He spat. 'And I hate you for that. You think you were the only one conscripted?'

Katara's mouth hung open.

'I was an _orphan_. The Gunners Fold came to the orphanage every year to 'collect' us. Only benders were taken. They trained us up and sent us out to kill everyone in the Fire Nation. _You're _lucky. _You _have family that they can threaten!'

'B- but you're not a bender.'

His tone turned more bitter than before, if that were possible. 'I got chi blocked. Half a year into training they pitted us against each other, the last ten standing got the other year of training. Then it happened again. You see, they will take all the children the orphanage can offer, but they only had five spaces for all thirty of us to fight over. I was in the final battle. Six of us were left but we were all in hiding in the arena. They sent in a Gunner to find us and force us to fight. Her name was Ty Lee. Instead of killing my friends, when she found me, I killed her. But not before she took away my earth bending. Of course, that opened up another space in the Fold and they welcomed me right in.'

'Well then we have something in common Jian! We should be working _together_.'

His eyes narrowed. 'No. If I let you go then it doesn't change my situation. I will still be stuck here, stuck with this stupid pendant and unable to leave. You can't just _leave._ Nobody just _leaves._ You can't just leave me here.' His voice broke and his shoulders slumped.

Katara felt the blood from her neck trickle down her shirt and shuddered. 'I want out as much as you do Jian. Only difference is that if _you_ could get out, Iwould _help _you. I know that much.' Katara's hand flew from her neck in an empty gesture that flung her blood at Jian's face. He cringed away from her.

oOo

Katara stood outside Zuko's chambers wondering whether or not she should go inside. She shook her head and pushed open the door.

'Katara, hi.' Zuko's cheeks seemed to carry a rosy tint, but that couldn't be right. _Prince_ Zuko embarrassed?

'Um, look. Zuko, I'm sorry for, you know, kissing you.' Her cheeks coloured to a shade slightly more violent than Zuko's own. 'I like being your friend and I guess I was just filled with adrenaline or something...' Her voice petered out.

'Yeah, I agree.' He cast his golden eyes towards the window and then back to her almost regretfully.

Katara set his lunch on the desk and started cleaning the floors with her bending. He would usually stay and watch her but instead he grabbed a moon peach from his lunch and let himself onto the balcony.

_It was the right thing to do. I shouldn't complicate things, especially because if I care about him any more than I already do it will be even harder for me to send him away again. My life is miserable as it is already. Wait, why shouldn't I be happy? _Katara frowned. _If he can make my living hell a little less painful shouldn't I make that happen?_

Zuko re-entered the room and Katara threw herself at him for the second time in two days. He caught her legs and stumbled backwards. She looked down at him and smiled before pressing her lips firmly onto his.

oOo

Zuko frowned. 'Girls are confusing.'

oOo

'So, um, the Gunners Lead want you dead by Azula's birthday now.'

'But that's next week!' Zuko exclaimed.

'Well, they want you dead now.'

'Why?'

'Commissioner is pushing it.' She shrugged. 'Think of it this way, every year the palace is emptied except for you, Azula and whoever she deems to invite. She never invites the guards. You never leave your room. Nobody would know if you were dead for hours! Clean getaway and easy entry. But um,' Katara paused. 'not in that order.'

'It _does _make sense.' Zuko mused.

'Of course it does. We're Gunners, not mass murderers.'

'Riiiighhhtt.'

'That tone of voice does _not _suit you.'

'What tone of voice?' He asked frowning.

'Sarcasm.'

Zuko paused and glared at her.

'Hey wait. It does suit you!' Katara smiled.

Zuko's glare turned into a frown. 'Whatever. We need a new plan to stop the Gunners Lead.'

Katara placed the flat of her hand onto his chest. 'No. I won't and can't lose you now.'

'Well if we don't make a plan then you're _going _to have to kill me you know.'

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. 'I will _stab_ myself before I lay a hand on you.'

'Well, I guess we could-'

'_NO. _Losing you, my only friend, would push me over the edge. I would go insane. I know that much Zuko. Don't push this ok?'

He pulled her hand from his chest and held it. 'Fine.' He blew the hair out of his eyes and wrinkled his nose.

This was going to be hard.

oOo

Zuko entered what had to have been his fifth pub that night, so far nobody had replied to his coded request for a Gunner. He walked up to the bar and looked at the heavily tattooed man behind it.

'What can I get you?'

'Sin Whiskey.'

The man's eyes narrowed slightly, the first sign that this pub was a front for contacting the Gunners.

'Anything with that sin whiskey?'

Zuko moved his cloak slightly so the man could see a bag strapped to his waist that was filled with gold coins. 'I have plenty of money bar keep, what would you recommend?'

The man nodded at him subtly. 'We have a wide range of meals and snacks, there are also forms of entertainment here, it's often _deadly _fun.'

Zuko smiled, _finally_. 'I think some deadly entertainment will make tonight interesting.'

'Follow Lee and he will take you where you want to go.' The man gestured at a small, wiry man who instantly started walking and Zuko had to jog to catch up.

'So much for keeping out of this.' He muttered.

The journey through the kitchen lead into a small pantry. Zuko found himself pressed up against Lee in a rather awkward position.

'So, uh, why are we in here?'

Lee pulled on a long dangling string behind Zuko's head and the floor swung out from beneath them like a trap door. The chute they fell into was a perfect vertical for a good 10 meters, but it quickly curved into something that could be described as a slide.

They landed in an ungainly heap at the bottom and Zuko quickly jumped up, readjusting his hood and brushing off his cloak. Lee stood up rather inelegantly and started walking without beckoning for Zuko to follow.

The tunnels were amazing, each turn they made Zuko was amazed to see small tiny vents in the ceiling that let in light and air that were unnoticeable when in the streets, he saw reinforced steel doors and metal arches to hold up the dirt-packed tunnel. It took what must have been an hour or two to reach the room that he wanted.

Zuko flipped a coin into Lee's waiting hands. 'Wait for me and you'll get another.'

He pushed through the door before the seemingly silent man could nod his answer.

oOo

'I wish to hire your _services_.' Zuko murmured to the hooded man behind the desk. He was facing away from Zuko to a seemingly blank wall, but acknowledged his presence by holding up a finger to make him pause.

'Who would be the mark and how much do you propose to pay?' His voice was thin, reedy.

'Princess Azulaand I propose one _thousand _gold coins'

The man in the cloak spluttered and turned to face him. 'One thousand gold is a large sum, possibly enough for a high ranking war lord, but _not _for royalty.'

Zuko sighed; he was going to have to steal some money from his father to cover this. He just _knew _it. '_Two_ thousand is my final offer.'

The man squeaked in surprise. 'We would happily take your offer but first we need to _see _the money _and_ have a meeting over whether or not this is a viable mark concerning the possible consequences. I will call the second and third Gunners but they may not see you today you understand.'

'Of course.'

The man turned back to the wall and threw his arm out in one jerking gesture. A small square of rock in the wall pushed inward and he heard running from the other side. 'May I get you anything whilst you wait? Tea, perhaps?'

'Water will be just fine.'

The first Gunner hurried out of the room and Zuko leaned gently against the wall. It took about thirty seconds before the cloaked man came hurrying back in with his glass of water. 'They'll be with us in five minutes.'

Zuko nodded. 'That'll be fine.'

He sat down on the floor, trying to exude confidence in his relaxed posture even though he was terrified inside. His heart felt like it was squeezing itself into nothing more than a speck of dust and he placed a hand over his chest gently to try and subtly calm himself down. The First Gunner glanced at him and turned back to the wall with a small harrumph escaping from his mouth; clearly he didn't approve of Zuko's calm demeanour.

Two more hooded figures entered and Zuko thought that his heart had stopped altogether. He stood up slowly and didn't bother to brush the dust off of his cloak.

'Two thousand gold coins is a lot of money sir; why are you so willing to part with it for the death of princess Azula?' A woman's voice asked from under a blue cloak.

'I thought the Gunners weren't meant to ask questions.'

Zuko saw the last Gunner step back slightly in what might have been surprise but quickly dismissed it, why would the third Gunner be surprised to hear his voice?

'When it's a mark on royalty, we have to ask questions.'

Zuko sighed, acting. 'It will be beneficial to my family if she is no longer an issue.'

The cloaked woman nodded. 'And we would need an instalment.'

'I have one thousand gold with me today.'

'That will be more than enough.'

She held out a hand and Zuko waved it away. 'I know that your decision will not be made today. We can't leave the throne no heirs without a little conversation can we?'

'What?' Her hand dropped.

Zuko pulled his hood off his head. 'Why have you sent somebody to kill me? How long has she been in the Fold?'

Two of the Gunners gasped but Zuko noted that the third stood unmoving. He _had _recognised him. 'How long has Mai been in the Gunners Fold?' He repeated, clarifying.

The First Gunner spluttered a little. 'Ah, of course. Mai has been in the Fold since birth. We have detained her as her attempt on your life was infact a rogue attempt and nothing to do with us. As you can imagine Prince Zuko, only royalty have access to the money we would accept for killing a member of the royal family, no one else in all of the Fire Nation would be willing to part with two thousand gold.'

Zuko sucked in a breath. Only a member of the royal family could afford to kill a member of the royal family. It made _sense_. 'So you have stopped Mai from her unruly attempts on my life?'

The woman nodded.

'Then I have no more business here. Control your Gunners more carefully next time because if there is another incident like this, when I am Fire Lord I will make sure to eradicate your little group in a moment.'

**So thank you for the reviews guys! Sorry I've been taking so long to write another chapter, I'm only starting this now (April) so sorry about that. I've decided to count this as my English revision because I'm bored of all the revision for my GCSE's and I'm not going to watch anymore movies. My procrastination has gotten out of control...**

**Still unsure about the whole Zuko~Katara romance because I'm not the best at writing romance despite all of my imaginary experience in the area ;) At least the story's coming to an end, I won't go into too much detail with the whole romance thing because literally, ME = Only kissed one boy once. And I don't know why I just typed that... Whatever.**

**Moving on swiftly, as you may have noticed above, this story is now coming to an end! Literally a few chapters left...**

**Hope you enjoyed, thanks for the reviews, please review again :P**

**x**


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